I have heard the old wives’ tale that, if you drive a pickup truck with the tailgate down, it’s a great way to increase fuel efficiency.

A citizen recently asked about this and said her husband practices that and she stated someone recently told them that it was against the law to drive with the tailgate down.

She wondered if that was true.

The Michigan Vehicle Code, MCL 257.720 (1), requires you to drive with the tailgate up, whether the truck is loaded or not. As stated in the section: “…The tailgate, faucets, and taps on a vehicle shall be securely closed to prevent spillage during transportation whether the vehicle is loaded or empty, and the vehicle shall not have any holes or cracks through which material can escape…”

The exception to this is when the cargo on a pickup is longer than the truck bed. 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.

If the load extends more than four feet from the vehicle, a one square-foot red flag is required to be attached to the projecting object.

At night, a red light is required to be attached.

Ashley Simpson is a Community Service Trooper for the MSP Alpena Post. If you have a question for Trooper Simpson, you can email her at asktroopersimpson@gmail.com or mail them to Ask A Trooper, Michigan State Police – Alpena Post, 3283 W. Washington Ave, Alpena, Mich., 49707.