Riding in Pickup Beds

We have the same concern in Iowa...
From the Honolulu Star-Bulletin:

While island motorists buckle up more than those in any other state, Hawaii is one of several states that allow passengers to ride unrestrained in the bed of pickup trucks.

Everyone from state lawmakers to national highway safety experts is questioning the rationale of having a seat belt law while people roam freely in truck beds. They say laws need to be changed before more people are killed.

"Considering every state but one has a law that requires people to be belted in vehicles, it makes no sense to me they can ride unrestrained in the back of a pickup truck that has no protection at all," said Susan Ferguson, of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "There's no restraints in the rear, and it's extremely dangerous."

Thirty states have some type of restriction on riding in cargo areas, but many of those fall short of a comprehensive ban, according to the institute.

The states without any type of restriction are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Many states, including Hawaii, prohibit young children from riding in the back. Several states allow truck bed riding for work, like farmers, or during parades. Colorado allows it only if the cargo area is enclosed on all sides.