Can I drive my truck with the tailgate down?

Q: Is it legal to drive a pickup truck with the tailgate down? Is it against the law for people to ride in the back of a pickup truck? A: It is illegal to drive a pickup on our roads with the tailgate down unless you are carrying a load that does not allow the tailgate to close.

Will driving with tailgate down damage it?

So, you may have no weight on the tailgate, and weight burden you put on it loading or unloading stuff could to damage. Plus, having the tailgate down creates additional drag and so doesn’t help your mileage.

Why do people drive with their tailgate down?

Most people believe that driving with the tailgate down is a sure-fire way of saving gas. For those who swear by driving with the tailgate down for better gas mileage, the common reason is that the air flows more efficiently thereby easing the amount of drag on a vehicle.

Is it illegal to drive with the tailgate down in California?

In CA it’s not illegal. Like naskie said, if you have something sticking out past the tailgate you need a red flag or something bright to mark it.

Do tonneau covers increase mpg?

According to many experts, the best way to improve the truck’s fuel economy is to add a tonneau cover. A tonneau cover will help reduce aerodynamic drag and can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%, see below for details.

Is it illegal to drive with your tailgate down in North Carolina?

No, it is not against the law to drive around with your tail gate down.

Is it illegal to drive with tailgate down in Michigan?

The Michigan Vehicle Code, MCL 257.720 (1), requires you to drive with the tailgate up, whether the truck is loaded or not. In that case, the tailgate may be open, as long as the cargo is securely fastened to the truck bed with straps that are strong enough to hold your cargo.

Is it illegal to drive with your tailgate down in Florida?

A: It is illegal to drive a pickup on our roads with the tailgate down unless you are carrying a load that does not allow the tailgate to close. However, transporting passengers in the bed of a pickup truck is dangerous.

Is it illegal to drive a truck with the tailgate down?

Driving with a truck with the tailgate down probably isn’t illegal, but it could be a real drag. In Ontario, there’s no law specifically against driving with your tailgate down, trunk open or SUV hatch up, as long as you’ve properly secured any loads.

Why does driving with the tailgate down increase gas mileage?

Most people believe that driving with the tailgate down is a sure-fire way of saving gas. A common argument against the tailgate being closed (up) is it creates an invisible wall where the air hits, thus increasing drag. If you’re unfamiliar with how drag works, it can make your truck, or any vehicle really, produce less gas mileage per gallon.

What happens when you drive with the tailgate open?

Driving with the tailgate open is disastrous for the bubble effect, essentially negating any positive wind effect. The air is pulled toward the truck bed resulting in more drag instead of deflecting the wind. So, there you have it. The commonly held myth about keeping the tailgate open has been destroyed.

Is it illegal to drive a truck with the gate open?

His theory was that with the gate open he used less gasoline. Somebody in town at city speed came to a stop short and hit the back of his truck. After the lawyers and insurance companies got done he was found liable for 75% of the damage both to the other car and also his tailgate and box.