Alabama House nixes proposed ban on teens riding in pickup truck beds

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama House voted down a bill Thursday that would have prohibited teenagers under the age of 18 from riding in the bed of pickup trucks on a state or federal highway after some members raised concern it would legislate away the decision rights of parents.

§ 32-5-222 of the Code of Alabama already requires drivers on streets and roadways to ensure that all children and teens under 15 years-old are in seat belts and/or approved safety restraints. So while this law does not ban an adult from riding in the back of a pickup truck, it does make it unlawful for a driver to allow children under 15 years of age to ride unrestrained whether inside a motor vehicle or in the back of pickup truck.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Kerry Rich (R-Albertville), would have further prohibited teens between the ages of 16 and 18 from riding in the bed of a pickup truck, whether or not they had their parents’ permission.

Rich first introduced the bill in the 2014 session after a 2013 crash in Guntersville killed four teens, injured five others, and paralyzed one teen from the chest down after the truck whose bed they were riding in flipped on Highway 431 on the way to Lake Guntersville.

Representative Terri Collins (R-Decatur) argued against the bill on the House floor, saying it should be left up to those teens’ parents to ensure their children are behaving safely.

“I believe it is up to the parents to make that decision,” Collins remarked, “I believe that is my decision to make. Legislating that is not something I want to support.”

She asked her fellow members of the House to raise their hands if they had ridden in the back of a pickup truck when they were teens. Every hand in the room went up.

Collins also mentioned that she wasn’t sure if she’d vote to require seat belts, was that an issue before the legislature today.

Last year, Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL3) sponsored a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would have banned teens from riding in pickup truck beds on public highways across the country. Though that bill failed, it sparked a conversation on whether the government should take the place of parents in making that decision.

When Yellowhammer asked our readers last year whether or not Congress should pass that law, an overwhelming 61 percent said “No, this is another example of the government getting too involved in our lives,” 11.5 percent said “Yes, the Federal government should protect minors by making this illegal in every state,” and 27.5 percent said “No, not at the Federal level, but I do support this legislation at the state level.”