Riding in open bed of truck prohibited, when, exceptions, penalty
In Missouri, kids under 18 are not allowed to ride in the open back of a small truck (under 12,000 pounds) on state or federal highways or inside city limits. The driver can get in trouble too. There are exceptions — for example, if the person is doing farm work, working a job that requires it, riding in a parade, is strapped in safely, attending a special event with no open seats, helping people doing outdoor recreation, or if the truck is the only vehicle the family owns and there is no room inside the cab for everyone.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
304.665. Riding in open bed of truck prohibited, when, exceptions, . — 1. No person shall operate any truck, as defined in section 301.010, with a of less than twelve thousand on any which is part of the state or federal highway system or when such truck is operated within the of any city when any person under eighteen years of age is riding in the of such truck. No person under eighteen years of age shall ride in the unenclosed bed of such truck when the truck is in operation. Any person who operates a truck with a licensed gross weight of less than twelve thousand pounds in violation of this section is guilty of a .
2. The of this section shall only apply when a truck described in 1 of this section is operated on a highway which is part of the state or federal highway system or when such truck is operated within the corporate limits of any city. The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
(1) An employee engaged in the necessary of the employee's duties where it is necessary to ride in the unenclosed bed of the truck;
(2) Any person while engaged in agricultural activities where it is necessary to ride in the unenclosed bed of the truck;
(3) Any person riding in the unenclosed bed of a truck while such truck is being operated in a parade, or which is by law;
(4) Any person riding in the unenclosed bed of a truck if such truck has installed a means of preventing such person from being or such person is secured to the truck in a manner which will prevent the person from being thrown, falling or jumping from the truck;
(5) Any person riding in the unenclosed bed of a truck if such truck is being operated solely for the purposes of participating in a special event and it is necessary that the person ride in such unenclosed bed due to a lack of available seating. "Special event", for the purposes of this section, is a specific social activity of a definable duration which is participated in by the person riding in the unenclosed bed;
(6) Any person riding in the unenclosed bed of a truck if such truck is being operated solely for the purposes of providing assistance to, or ensuring the safety of, other persons engaged in a recreational activity; or
(7) Any person riding in the unenclosed bed of a truck if such truck is the only legally titled, licensed and vehicle owned by the family of the person riding in the unenclosed bed and there is insufficient room in the passenger cab of the truck to accommodate all passengers in such truck. For the purposes of this the term "family" shall mean any persons related within the first degree of .
Tap any gold-underlined word to see what it means.
Source & history notes
(L. 1997 S.B. 121 § 1)
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.