Heading out to collect some firewood for the winter this weekend? Fall was always a good time to watch for pickup trucks with pyramids of firewood in the back on our highways. When checked they were often illegal, and unsafe, in three ways: unsecured load, overweight and a danger to vehicle occupants if the pickup was involved in a collision.
There is a lot of sweat invested in harvesting a pickup load of split firewood. Why would you hazard the loss of some of that hard work by not thoroughly tying or tarping it down? Imagine the consequences if a piece of it fell off the back of your pickup at 90 km/h. It would strike another road user with the force of a small bomb!
35.04 Vehicles must be equipped and cargo must be contained, immobilized or secured in accordance with the applicable requirements of this Division and the Standard and so that it cannot
(a) leak, spill, blow off, fall from, fall through or otherwise be dislodged from the vehicle, or
(b) shift on or within the vehicle in a manner that affects the stability or manoeuvrability of the vehicle.
Fines for load security violations start at $173.
When I weighed any pickup I found filled like this it was overweight on the rear axle. I was obligated to order the driver to immediately remove the load from the highway until the pickup was no longer overloaded.
This leaves the driver with two options: call someone to bring their pickup and transfer part of the load, or leave some of the load behind on the ground. Hopefully it would still be there when they returned after emptying what was safe to carry home.
How strong do you think that rear glass is in the cab of your pickup? Chances are excellent that in a collision part of that load of firewood is going to come through the back of the cab like the glass wasn’t even there. This would definitely not be good news for the back of your head!
Story URL: https://www.drivesmartbc.ca/unsafe-driving-practices/hauling-firewood-safely
Note: This is an update of an article written in 2012.
-- Tim Schewe Road Safety Advocate DriveSmartBC.ca Any advice contained in this message is given in good faith to the best of my ability. I am not a lawyer and if you require legal advice which you intend to rely on it would be wise to consult one.
