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Boy seriously injured after being thrown from truck tailgate
Jeffrey K. Smith, a 13-year-old-boy from Hurricane, W.Va, was injured after being thrown from the tailgate of his father's truck.
According to his father, Jeffrey S. Smith, on June 17 the family was returning from the beach. The teen and his mother were riding in the back of the truck. Smith saw his son struggling to control some inflatable rafts. In an attempt to reposition them, Smith jerked the steering wheel, causing his son to fall off the truck and striking his head on the pavement. At the time of the accident, Smith was driving 10 mph.
The boy was in critical condition Wednesday at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
Riding in the back of a truck is illegal, however, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report no citations are anticipated.
Effective last year, it is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18 to ride in the back of an open truck without secure seating and restraints. The law specifically references the dangers of falling from a truck.
Previously, only adult supervision was required for minors to ride in the bed of a truck, according to Sergeant Donald Savage, of the Walton County Sheriffs Department.
During 2007, two individuals, aged 15-19, were injured while riding in the beds of pickup trucks in Walton County.
"The amount of accidents and potential for accidents of people riding in the back of the vehicle is why the law changed," said Sergeant Joe Preston, of the Walton County Sheriffs Office. "If there is an accident, the people riding in the back of the truck will get ejected from it."
Laws regarding traffic control change frequently, said Savage. "Some laws can change every six months to a year."
"To be honest, we have more problems with people being ejected from inside their vehicles from not using their safety belt," said Preston.
Also scheduled to change are the charges for citations, with increases across the board.
"All tickets will be going up considerably on July 1," said Savage.
According to Preston, tickets will increase between $5 and $15. The increases are not percentage based.
