How to safely haul 12’ lumber?

Here is a list of all 50 states showing how far in front and to the rear of a vehicle the load can extend from a vehicle.
https://www.safe2drive.com/blog/How-Far-Can-an-Object-Lawfully-Extend-from-Your-Vehicle
It shows 6' to the rear here in PA. Most states are 4' to the rear. I found it amusing that the limit is Mississippi is a whopping 15' out the back. Over that you need a permit and you can go as far as 28' past the back but only during daylight. Washington state is also 15' out the back. Damn! I can't imagine hauling something that far past my truck and have it swing around on a turn.

 

Hometown ain’t lying! Thee whole truth and nothing but!

 

I wonder if they mean 4' from where my vehicle normally ends, or 4' past where the liftgate is swung out to?

I'd assume it's from the tailgate down on a pickup, probably a little more nebulous on an SUV.

 

in Cali I think they address the nebulous with “….or two thirds of the wheel base”.

 

I haven't hauled anything large in my Tacoma yet but my last vehicle a Honda Ridgeline I hauled a ton of large stuff. I have hauled 12-12' corrugated roofing panels by placing padding on the roof and ratchet strapping it to the bed leaving the tailgate up. That was a 30 mile haul. Also up to 16 foot stuff by going through the back window up to the windshield leaving the tailgate up and ratchet strapping to the bed hold downs and a red flag. I have many hauls up to 140 mile that way. Never an issue. I'm as cautious as I can be. I need the window capacity of the '23 so a '24 was out of the question.

 

I have one too, definitely worth the money.

 

Little update….. got the 12’ garden bed built and drove the 90 miles to my sister’s house. . That bed extender was the ticket.

 

Looks like you used a red flag and a reflector. Excellent job.

 

Bed extender hitch bar or a bed rack. The bed rack method is a lot safer as it doesn't mess with your turn radius

 

Hire someone with a Honda Civic to do it for you.

 

Pic taken, before installing the red flag. It would have sucked if someone drove into me. In this instance the wood was too heavy for the tailgate up.

 

Awesome pic.

 

Red flag and the light on the bottom is one of those red LED lights used for the back of bicycles.