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Is It Legal To Drive A Forklift On The Road

25

Jul

Is It Legal To Drive A Forklift On The Road?

The short answer is no, not legally. The long answer is yes but is a bit more complicated.

A forklift is not considered an on road vehicle as it is not installed or outfitted with regular state required safety precautions or equipment. If a forklift is being used on a permitted construction site, then it may be permitted onto public roads as long as the proper spotters and warning signs are present. In some instances a forklift can be driven up to 1000 yards away from it’s original location as long as it is still within the confines of it’s construction site permit.

As per FMSCA, “Occasionally driving such equipment on a public road to reach or leave a construction site does not amount to furtherance of a transportation purpose. Since construction equipment is not designed to operate in traffic, it should be accompanied by escort vehicles or in some other way separated from the public traffic.”

Traffic Safety With A Forklift

Every state will have different legal requirements and regulations when it comes to the travel of “off road” vehicles. So it will be up to the owner who will ultimately be responsible if something is done that is considered illegal, as well as the operator of the forklift. Failure to adhere to state and federal law regarding the transportation of heavy equipment could result in hefty fines as well as injury or loss of life if something goes wrong.

Safety Concerns

There is a laundry list of safety concerns when it comes to driving your forklift on public roads and that list changes depending on what kind of forklift you will be driving. A warehouse forklift, for example, has a much tighter turning radius compared to a industrial construction forklift, such as a Skytrak.

But, regardless of the type of forklift you are operating there are some very common dangers associated with both.

Limited visibility

Unlike a regular motor vehicle, forklifts have a very limited visibility of situations around them. Your fork boom could be in your direct line of sight for things happening to the side of you. The mirrors on a forklift will offer very limited support as well as the vibration from the travel could render them ineffective during your travels.

Unaware drivers

Your average Joe on the road will not be expecting a piece of heavy equipment to potentially be blocking their path and with the rate of traffic incidents steadily rising each year from distracted driving, the odds of other drivers not seeing you increases also. With limited protection from a collision in a forklift, this makes the act even more dangerous.

Load shifting

If you are hauling something during transit and it is not properly secured, the slightest imbalance in the road, or sharp turn could result in your load shifting from the forks and falling completely from your control.

Weather elements

Your forklift will not have the same build or protection against the elements as a car will. The driver will be left to face the rain, sun, snow or hail without anything covering them.

Forklift Safety On Public Roads

Do I need To Hire Someone To Move My Forklift?

In most cases, hiring a certified and trained professional to load, haul and deliver your heavy equipment will be the best option. It reduces the risk of injury to the operator and other drivers on the road, and will ensure there is no legal pitfalls for the company in charge of the forklift.

If you are in the Willis, Conroe, Montgomery or The Woodlands area and need a trained professional to safely move your forklift give us a call and have it done correctly and legally every time.

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