A dangerously overloaded van was stopped by police in Leamington who spotted, among other things, a chainsaw hanging out of the side.
The transit van was stopped on Cubbington Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.
“The vehicle had an unsafe load not secured to the vehicle and was in a dangerous condition with a risk of Injury to other road users,” said Warwickshire Police’s Operational Patrol Unit (OPU) unit.
The driver was reported to court for the offence.
Penalties for overloading a vehicle can include a fine of up to £5,000 and three to six points on your licence. If the offence is particularly serious, you could be banned from driving.
If you’re stopped by police for overloading your vehicle, you may also be asked to reduce your load or unload some of it before continuing your journey. If you don’t do this, the police can seize your vehicle there and then.
If you’re stopped on the motorway, you may be asked to drive to the nearest exit and park up so that your load can be inspected. You could be fined £100 on the spot if your load is deemed to be excessively overweight or insecure.
Insecure or overloaded loads are not only dangerous to other road users, but they can also cause serious damage to your vehicle. If you’re caught driving with an insecure load, you could be fined up to £2,500 and get three penalty points on your licence.
Overloading your vehicle can invalidate your insurance, so it’s important to make sure your vehicle is not overloaded and that your load is secure before setting off on your journey.
News Credits: This dangerously overloaded van in Leamington had a chainsaw hanging out of the side
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