A man was arrested while driving his van. All of its cargo, utility and trailer far exceeded the authorized maximum of 6.5 tonnes. The gendarmes of the highway platoon of Gallargues, in the Gard, proceeded to the weighing of the vehicle which displayed almost double the authorized weight, that is to say 12.3 tons.
“The driver therefore paid a fine of 900 euros and had to find a way to have the 5.8 tonnes of excess cargo shipped otherwise, specify the gendarmes. Failing that, he either threw the objects away or he stayed put. »
“Overloading increases the risk of accidents occurring but also their severity”
“Excess weight will induce multiple mechanical risks, such as instability (rollover and directional deportation), brake failure, limited maneuverability and power, or even overheating of the tires (going from their smoothness to the bursting), details the national interministerial road safety observatory. Overloading is doubly harmful in the sense that it will not only increase the risk of occurrence of accidents but also their severity. »