Driver spotted with unusual load on major road risks whopping $3000 fine
You don't have to go far in Australia to find drivers in breach of the road rules, and plenty of people have questioned the legality of this unusual load.
An Aussie driver is copping flak from people everywhere over the way they transported their bizarre-looking load on a busy motorway — but people can't decide whether the act is in breach of any road rules.
Posting to social media, one person wrote "Only in Queensland" beside a photograph showing a car transporting the cabin of a utility truck on top of their Nissan Pulsar sedan.
In the photo, it appears the load is tied down with straps, which is in line with the state's guidelines for transporting bulky goods, however it's not known how much the cabin weighs. The way the load is stored may be deemed dangerous by authorities and it appears to obstruct the view from the rear windscreen, which would make the act illegal.
Canopy load attracts plenty of attention
Responding to the image, people had plenty to say about the irregular load. "Can only imagine the ute that's going to be installed on, probably a few different coloured panels," a person joked.
"Queensland is the Florida of Australia," another said. "A wannabe [Nissan] Navara," a third wrote.
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At least one person said they were "impressed" by the way the driver managed to secure the load, while another said it looked like "someone just had their canopy stolen".
What are Queensland's rules on tying down loads?
According to Queensland's transport department, when travelling with any kind of load, a "vehicle or trailer must be loaded safely so it doesn’t endanger other road users, passengers, or damage road infrastructure".
"This means ensuring that your load is properly restrained, doesn’t overhang dangerously, doesn’t exceed mass limits, doesn’t cover lights, indicators, reflectors or the number plate," the government states online.
Officials weigh in
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a spokesperson for Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) said "unsafe" loads could attract a $3000 fine.
"In Queensland, all loads carried by light vehicles are subject to load restraint requirements, which require the driver to ensure a load on a vehicle is safely secured in a way that makes it unlikely to fall or be dislodged from the vehicle," the spokesperson told Yahoo.
"On-road enforcement by the Department of Transport and Main Roads Inspectors and the Queensland Police Service includes regular checks to ensure loads are secured.
"There are several offences and penalties that may apply for a vehicle with insecure or unsafe loads with a maximum penalty of $3,096 and an on-the-spot fine of $309."
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