Clay County Accident Kills One Riding in Back of Pickup Truck
A pickup truck driver lost control of his vehicle early Saturday morning, November 27, in Keystone Heights on Bellamy Road and County Road 315C in Clay County, killing one person who was riding in the bed of the truck and injuring five others.
There is no word in this story from Channel 4 News what caused the driver to lose control of his vehicle or how many people were riding in the bed of the truck. The five individuals were rushed to area hospitals and their condition following the Florida car crash is unknown.
Riding in a Truck Bed
Truck beds are designed to haul cargo, not people. An individual is not protected during a crash and can be easily ejected from the cargo area, even at low speeds. According to Florida Statute (F.S. 316.2015) – minors under the age of 18 may not ride unrestrained in a truck bed unless there is an installed seat and approved seat belt. However, if you are older than 18, you may ride in the bed of a truck unrestrained. If someone is on the job, they can ride in the back and a child may ride in the back of the truck if there is an adult present and in a medical emergency. Counties have the power to deviate from the law so check the specific rules for where you live and drive.
The Jacksonville car accident attorneys at Farah & Farah encourage all motorists and passengers in a vehicle to use a seat belt and if there are people outnumber the amount of seat belts available, you have too many people for that ride, and should not drive with that many vehicle occupants, or risk serious injury or even death in a car crash in Florida.
