On road patrol by Kent Police, a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) was stopped by the Road Policing Unit in Kent area for being significantly overloaded. The HGV was plated at 3.5 tons, but instead weighed 6 tons—a whopping 72% overload! A summons to court has been issued to the driver’s employer, and it’s clear that this is an unacceptable amount of overloading.
The axle 2 weighed 3970 kg, with an excess of 1370 kg leading to 52.6% extra weight on the axle. This incident is a serious example of why overloading should never be taken lightly. Overloading can lead to serious safety risks on the road, including increased braking distances and lane instability. It can also cause significant damage to roads and bridges due to increased weight pressures. The additional strain on brakes and tyres can also lead to overheating or potential blowouts.
Overloading should never be taken lightly as it poses serious safety risks on the road and can carry hefty fines or even jail time in some cases if found guilty of breaking laws and regulations concerning HGV units’ maximum load limits. Employers should take extra caution when allowing their drivers on the roads so as not to avoid any legal ramifications resulting from negligence or poor decision making associated with overloading their vehicles.
News Credits: Twitter @Kent Police RPU
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