Nearly half of van drivers have knowingly overloaded their vehicles in the last year, according to research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, despite 89% of operators claiming to be aware of the legal weight restriction for their vehicle.

They showed that young and older drivers were guilty of carrying more cargo than their van was designed for, with 66% of 18–24-year-olds and 63% of those over 65 admitting to overloading their LCV.

Carpenters were the most likely to squeeze too much into their van, with 63% having breached the limits in the last year, followed by builders (60%), electricians (55%) and painter decorators (55%).

Overloading Penalties

A sliding scale of penalties applies to overloading breaches, ranging from a £100 fine for going over limits by less than 10% to a court summons, an unlimited fine, and possible imprisonment for those exceeding maximum figures by 30% or more.

While most LCVs are limited to a gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tonnes, rising to 4.25 tonnes for alternatively fuelled vehicles, many vans have lower limits that drivers may need to be aware of.

“DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles,” explained a DVSA spokesperson. “It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure their vehicle is safe to drive. They should make sure they know the maximum permitted gross vehicle weight and limits on each axle of their vehicle.

“We take enforcement action against drivers and operators who risk people’s lives by overloading or not securely loading their vehicles. Our accessible online guidance provides everyone with the information they need to load their vehicle safely and avoid risking the lives of other road users.”

Volkswagen overload checks carried out by DVSA

Know Your Van

It is essential that drivers know and adhere to the DVSA’s regulations. Buying the right-sized van in order to minimise the risk of overloading vehicles is a good place to start, and, coincidentally, that’s something Volkswagen can help with.

Volkswagen’s ‘Working With You’ promise supports customers throughout the vehicle purchasing process, including the selection of the correct van for your business needs, and is available across the entire Van Centre network of 60 sites in the UK.

Phil Huff
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