Riding in the back of pickup trucks was once normal
Baby Boomers and older generations in Virginia thought nothing of riding in the bed of a pickup truck. The church I attended as a child took the children to Lakeside Amusement Park for the Sunday School picnic for at least 3 years via truck. We rode about 16 miles both ways, had a lot of fun and no one ever fell out.
People also would ride in the back of trucks to hold onto appliances or other large items to keep them from falling out. There were no seatbelt laws in the early 1970s but today this practice of riding in the back of a truck has been outlawed. According to RC Truck Stop there are many dangers recognized now that were not considered decades ago.
People riding in the back are exposed to all types of hazards including flying debris, sudden stops or turns, and even being thrown out of the vehicle. Furthermore, if an accident were to occur while someone was riding in the bed of a truck they would not have any protection against injury.