Multiple states “look the other way” when it comes to riding in a camper in the bed of a pickup truck. But one state explicitly allows it–under certain conditions. California vehicle code § 28080 specifies that passengers can ride in a truck camper if they have an audio or video device they can use to signal the driver. Read on for the laws around riding in the back of a truck for all 50 states.

Riding in a camper trailer in California

California has a reputation for strict vehicle laws–from emissions to kit cars–so it’s a bit surprising this is the only state that explicitly allows passengers in a truck bed camper. That said, 20 states have no laws limiting passengers in truck beds. Many more states allow passengers in the back of trucks under certain conditions (such as below a certain speed). So California isn’t the most lenient state, it’s just the only one to mention truck bed campers specifically in its laws.

Few campers have seatbelts. None have airbags or crash structures such as crumple zones. This makes them a very dangerous place to be during a collision or rollover. So it’s no surprise that many states have laws around whether you can carry passengers in a camper. California outlaws riding in regular travel trailers. That said, it allows passengers in a camper trailer hooked to a truck with a fifth wheel hitch. Eight states have the same law, but California has some stipulations. The Golden State adds that the trailer’s door and window glass must have safety glazing. The trailer must also have an unobstructed exit that can be opened from the outside or inside. Finally, it needs a device that allows passengers to communicate with the truck’s driver.

Riding in a truck bed camper in California

The laws around riding in a truck bed camper in California are similar. The passengers still need a way to communicate with the driver. The only exception is if there’s a pass-through they can use to climb into the cab, or even a sliding window they can open to talk to the driver. But said communication device can’t just be a horn.

California is much stricter about passengers riding in the bed of a pickup truck with no camper. It’s allowed if the truck is equipped with a federally-approved safety system (i.e. seatbelts nad rollover proteciton). It’s also allowed during a parade moving 8 mph or slower, in a farm truck on a main road for less than one mile, or during an emergency.

Which states allow passengers in the back of a pickup truck?

Many states besides California allow passengers in the bed of a pickup truck during certain situation, and 20 have no rules against it whatsoever. While these states don’t explcitly mention passengers in campers in truck beds, they may be allowed under these laws. See all the states’ laws, according to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration via IIHS, in the table below.