The report reveals that 48% of UK van drivers, taken from a pool of 1000 drivers, admitted that they overloaded their vehicles on a few or multiple occasions last year. The survey found that 66% of young drivers aged between 18-24 years had overloaded their vehicle last year, followed by 63% of over 65-year-old drivers.
Additionally, the survey showed that carpenters are the tradespeople most likely to overload their vans (63%); closely followed by builders (60%), electricians (55%) and painter decorators (55%) These figures are revealed despite nearly 90% of the drivers claiming to know the legal weight restriction for their respective light commercial vehicles (LCV).
In the UK, overloading a vehicle by more than 30% of the vehicle’s gross weight could lead to a fine of GBP 300. This translates to a collective penalty of GBP 703 million, which is being risked by the nation’s van drivers.
Furthermore, anything above 30% of the vehicle’s gross weight limit could lead to court summons and custodial sentences in the most serious cases. Speaking of penalty clauses, in the UK, the max gross weight for an LCV is 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg), which is permissible to 4.25 tonnes (4250kg) in the case of alternatively-fueled vehicles such as electric or hydrogen.
Take a look at the penalties with respect to the percentage of overweight:
| % overweight | Penalty |
| 5 – 9.99% | GBP 100 |
| 10 – 14.99% | GBP 200 |
| 15 – 29.99% | GBP 300 |
| Over 30% | Court summons |
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recommends that buyers of commercial vehicles pick the right-sized van for their usage, thus minimising the risk of overloading. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has customer support that claims to support its customers end to end and also help the buyers decide the right van configuration for their business requirements.
Commenting on the survey, an official from DVSA said, “DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles. 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.”
The spokesperson further added, “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.”