Surely, many of us motorists have seen a car on a highway, looking like a speedboat taking off in the water? The rear of the car is almost touching the axle, and to add to its woes, luggage is piled high on its roof rack. The driver is struggling to steer straight as the car’s front wheels are barely touching the tarmac. Although this is an extreme case, we want to avoid any danger of overloading. Read on to find out.
The National Department of Transport recognises the dangers of overloading of vehicles, and has, as part of its Road to Safety mission, a drive against overloading.
DAMAGE TO OUR ROADS
Overloading doesn’t only involve passenger vehicles but also freight lorries. Apart from other dangers, overloading can seriously damage road surfaces.The possibility of damage increases as the load increases. Damage begins to affect the safety of road users who may have to contend with cracks and potholes in the road surface. Prevention is better than cure and that’s why freight lorries have to be tested at various weighbridges along a freeway.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RISKS OF OVERLOADING A VEHICLE?
Here are some of the many risks involved when a vehicle is overloaded.
STEERING A VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT
No vehicle behaves in the same way when overloaded, but generally, steering becomes more difficult. Overloading a vehicle usually occurs towards the back of a car or bakkie. This causes the front wheels to touch the road surface under less weight, with a resulting loss in traction and steering control. In extreme cases, the front wheels may, at times, even lift off the road surface.
HOW DOES OVERLOADING AFFECT TYRES?
Overloading causes too much pressure on tyres. This, in turn, causes increased friction, which produces heat. Overheated tyres can wear out rapidly and may result in blow-outs, which, in turn, may cause a driver to lose all control. Overloading could well end up with many fatalities.
THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY TO AVOID DANGER
An overloaded car is not able to accelerate quickly. Sometimes, it may happen that a motorist suddenly needs to accelerate and overtake a car to avoid danger. If this is not possible, the driver may endanger passengers and other road users.
WHAT ABOUT THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF A VEHICLE?
First, brakes have to work extra hard seeing the car is so heavy. Stressed brakes will generate much heat, making them less effective. Second, the stopping distance of an overloaded vehicle will be longer than usual. This may lead to rear-end crashes as the car simply runs out of distance before it can stop.
NIGHT VISION IS IMPAIRED
An overloaded car will have its headlights pointing upwards. As a result, a driver may see less directly in front of the car, but worst of all, oncoming traffic will be blinded.
OVERLOADING CAN DAMAGE THE VEHICLE’S SUSPENSION
Overloading can cause unnecessary stress on the suspension of a vehicle, damaging, for instance, shock absorbers. Ineffective shock absorbers can lead to uneven tyre wear as well as cause instability during driving.
WHAT WOULD AN INSURER THINK OF OVERLOADED VEHICLES?
An insurer may reject an insurance claim on the grounds that overloading is illegal. Overloading messes with some of the specifications that make a car roadworthy.
THERE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT SAFETY BELTS FOR PASSENGERS
If you squeeze too many passengers into a vehicle, there will not be enough safety belts for all the passengers. This, in turn, is illegal. Wearing a safety belt can reduce injuries up to 50% and fatalities by 45%.
Hopefully, any motorist reading this article has been put off overloading his or her car in the future. To avoid overloading a car, find out from the manual how much weight your car is permitted to carry. In this way you will safeguard yourself, your passengers and other drivers on the road. But, is your car protected from any possible accidents? Why not contact PMD and purchase affordable car insurance ?
Know why overloading is dangerous to you, your vehicle and other road users sharing the roads with you! https://t.co/OcLtE0NWMH #ArriveAlive #Overloading @TruckAndFreight pic.twitter.com/lxqRBQswEO
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) November 11, 2018
Disclaimer:
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views and opinions of Prime Meridian Direct (Pty) Ltd, FSP41040.The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.