Arizona Bill Would Prohibit Kids Riding Freely in Pickup Beds

Perhaps you can file this item under "safety first" or even "common sense." Last week, Arizona's House lawmakers approved a bill that would make it illegal to freely haul children in the beds of pickup trucks, and there's a chance the measure will become law, according to an editorial in the Arizona Daily Star.

Opponents of the bill have contended that the measure intrudes on civil liberties. But even under Arizona law, an elk carcass must be tied down in the back of a pickup to prevent it from becoming airborne in the event of sudden braking or a collision. Yet the state doesn't require that a child be secured when riding in the truck bed.

"A projectile 12-year-old poses just as much of a traffic safety risk as a projectile elk — not to mention that it's your kid," said Democratic Rep. Matt Heinz, the bill's sponsor.

The bill, which requires that pickup-bed passengers younger than 18 either be belted or helmeted, has partial bipartisan support in the Senate, Heinz said.

[Source: Arizona Daily Star]