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On the Arrive Alive road safety website we often warn against the overloading of vehicles. We would like to share a few of these reasons:
Overloading a vehicle will pose the following risks:
- The vehicle will be less stable, difficult to steer and take longer to stop. Vehicles react differently when the maximum weights which they are designed to carry are exceeded.
- Overloaded vehicles can cause the tyres to overheat and wear rapidly which increases the chance of premature, dangerous and expensive failure or blow-outs.
- The driver’s control and operating space in the overloaded vehicle is diminished, escalating the chances for an accident.
- The overloaded vehicle cannot accelerate as normal – making it difficult to overtake
- At night, the headlights of an overloaded vehicle will tilt up, blinding oncoming drivers to possible debris or obstructions on the roadway
- Brakes have to work harder due to ‘the riding of brakes’ and because the vehicle is heavier due to overloading. Brakes overheat and lose their effectiveness to stop the car.
- With overloading, seat belts are often not used as the aim is to pack in as many persons as possible into the vehicle
- The whole suspension system comes under stress and, over time, the weakest point can give way.
- By overloading your vehicle you will incur higher maintenance costs to the vehicle – tyres, brakes, shock absorbers and higher fuel consumption
- Insurance cover on overloaded vehicles may be void as overloading is illegal
For more on these dangers view: Overloading and Road Safety
Are we really guilty of overloading? You be the judge!