News You Can Use
Cargo, not humans, should be the only 'rider in back'
University Relations
News Bureau (662) 325-3442
Contact: Susan Hughes
July 7, 2006
STARKVILLE, Miss.-While many states have seatbelt laws and a majority has speed limits, most don't address the issue of human passengers riding unrestrained in the bed of a pick-up truck or cargo transport vehicle.
Despite the widely known dangers of being thrown from a vehicle, too many people continue to engage in the dangerous activity, says Leslie Woolington, safety officer at Mississippi State University. Presumably, they feel it's just a very leisurely way to enjoy a sunny afternoon, she adds.
Woolington says some 200 deaths occur each year from people riding unrestrained in truck cargo beds. Even at reduced speeds, being thrown from a vehicle can result in serious injury resulting from a hard landing or being struck by another vehicle.
"Usually, when you see people riding in pick-up beds, they are seated on the side of the truck bed or atop the toolbox," she observes. While these locations may seem to be acceptable riding locations, they actually "make it easier to be thrown out of the vehicle," she adds.
Unless a person's job requires being stationed in the cargo area of a moving truck or large vehicle, there never is an acceptable reason to do so, Woolington advises. At minimum, anyone facing the prospect of being a truck-bed passenger should adopt the following suggestions for safer travel:
- Wear a helmet; it won't provide complete protection but may help reduce the severity of head injuries.