The load drive apparatus has a driver unit and a control unit. The driver unit includes a control section modulating, in accordance with a PWM signal supplied from the control unit, a drive signal to be applied to a load apparatus between a high level and a low level, and a short circuit detecting section detecting, on the basis of a signal level of the PWM signal and a signal level of the modulated drive signal, short circuit on a path through which the modulated drive signal is applied to the load apparatus. The control unit includes a function of fixing a duty ratio of the PWM signal upon occurrence of short circuit to determine to which of a high-level side and a low-level side the path is short-circuited.