The DVSA Enforcement team conducted vehicle checks at County Durham. The Traffic Examiner stopped a 3500kg van on suspicion of being overweight. On weighing, the vehicle was 4690 kg, which is 34% overloaded.
The first axle was only 3% overloaded. However, the second axle of the vehicle was 32.9% over its permitted weight limit, resulting in an overall excess load of 34%.
The driver and company pleaded guilty at Peterlee magistrates court. The driver was fined £3897 and the company was fined £5500. Overloading a vehicle is dangerous and can put other road users at risk.
The weight on axles must be within the limit and not overloaded. It must be within the maximum limit too. The weight on each axle must be the same and shouldn’t exceed the limit.
If you’re stopped by the police or DVSA and found to be overloaded, you could be fined up to £5000 and get 3-6 points on your licence. You may also have to go to court.
If you’re caught driving an overloaded vehicle, you could be fined up to:
- £2,500 for a car or motorcycle
- £5,000 for a van, goods vehicle or other vehicle
- £7,500 for a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes or with trailers over 3.5 tonnes
- You could get 3 to 6 points on your licence
News Credits: Twitter @DVSA Enforcement
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