In recent years, numerous driftwood‐related disasters have been reported, highlighting the importance of driftwood catchments to prevent downstream transport. Currently, the design of driftwood catchments primarily considers hydrostatic loads, while impact loads on driftwood have not been thoroughly investigated for structural member evaluation. As a result, the loading characteristics of driftwood remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates the effects of the impact load on the driftwood attitude including impact angle and contact position through a series of flume experiments. The results indicate that the impact angle has a relatively minor effect, and the driftwood attitude and offset distance from its center of gravity significantly influence impact force. This may be due to the significant influence of moment force caused by driftwood. Additionally, the finding suggests that the actual loads tend to be conservative, with values approximately 0.2 times those assumed in current design practices.