Flags on Pickup Trucks – Can You or Can’t You? (Or Should You?)

Q: I have a question about vehicles driving around with large flags on wooden flag poles. I saw one on I-5 with three flags on wooden poles held in place with guy lines, driving 70 miles an hour in a big wind and rain storm. It seems dangerous – lines could break and the poles could fly into other vehicles or create debris on the road. Is this legal?

A:  It sounds undignified, but the same law that applies to hauling a used futon to your dorm room after spotting it for free on the sidewalk also applies to flying our national symbol. Whatever you load in or on your vehicle, it’s your responsibility to properly secure your cargo. Here’s the rule: “No vehicle shall be driven or moved on any public highway unless such vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping . . .”

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