Sometimes, multiple people need transportation, but the only vehicle available is a pickup truck. Some pickup trucks have extended cabs that may include five or possibly six seats. However, most pickup trucks have only two or three seats in the cab.
Sometimes, people choose to offer a ride in the bed of a pickup truck for the sake of efficiency. Other times, they offer to take their passengers two-tracking as a source of entertainment. Doing so is theoretically legal under state law. Statutes requiring safety restraints apply to those in the first row of seats in a vehicle and any passengers under the age of 18. They do not apply to adults who choose of their own volition to ride in the bed of a pickup truck.
If people end up hurt in a crash while riding in the bed of a pickup truck, who is likely responsible for the injuries they sustain?
Fault determines liability
As is the case in most crash scenarios, fault is what matters the most when a pickup truck with people in the bed ends up involved in a crash. If the driver of the pickup truck was drunk or distracted, they may be responsible for any injuries their passengers sustained.
The same is true if they made minor traffic mistakes that were ultimately to blame for the wreck, such as failing to use a turn indicator. Their liability coverage can help cover the costs of the people affected by their mistakes.
However, the chances are equally good that the driver of the other vehicle may have caused the crash through regulatory violations or negligence. In that case, the driver of the vehicle that struck the pickup truck may have to provide insurance coverage to the people hurt in the crash.
The injuries sustained in such incidents could cost more than basic insurance covers, as the people may get thrown from the vehicle. There could also be multiple people with medical expenses and lost wages to cover. It may be necessary to explore a personal injury lawsuit as a means of covering the costs of a crash involving riders in a truck bed.
Learning more about liability and traffic laws can help people handle the aftermath of a motor vehicle collision. The law can sometimes be counterintuitive, making a careful review of circumstances with a skilled legal team ordinarily necessary for those affected by a car wreck.
