Almost half of all van drivers have knowingly overloaded their vans over the past year, according to research carried out by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, yet 89% of operators claim to know the legal weight restrictions for their vehicles.
With the research showing that 66% of 18–24-year-olds and 63% of those over 65 admit to overloading their LCVs, it’s the older and younger drivers that tend to overstretch the capacity limits.
It seems that those working in manual and construction trades are more likely to squeeze more into their vehicles, with 63% of carpenters having exceeded the limits in the last year, followed by builders (60%), electricians (55%) and painter-decorators (55%).
If you do breach the weight limits on your vehicle, penalties are gauged on a sliding scale, with fees ranging from a £100 fine for exceeding the limit by less than 10%, rising to a court summons, an unlimited fine, and even possible imprisonment for those exceeding maximum figures by 30% or more.
It’s essential for drivers to be aware of the limits that apply for their particular vehicle - most LCVs are limited to a gross vehicle weight of 3,5 tonnes — rising to 4.25 tonnes for alternatively fuelled vehicles — but many have lower limits than drivers might anticipate.
“DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles,” a DVSA spokesperson explained. “It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure their vehicle is safe to drive. They should make sure they know the maximum permitted gross vehicle weight and limits on each axle of their vehicle. We take enforcement action against drivers and operators who risk people’s lives by overloading or not securely loading their vehicles. Our accessible online guidance provides everyone with the information they need to load their vehicle safely and avoid risking the lives of other road users.”
The onus is on drivers to know the limits of their vehicles to ensure that they adhere to the DVSA’s regulations. Minimising the risk of overloading by buying the right-sized van for your needs is always the best option and something that Volkswagen can help with.
Volkswagen’s ‘Working With You’ promise supports customers throughout the process of selecting and buying the right vehicle to suit their business needs and is available across the entire Van Centre network of 60 sites in the UK.
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