This is just a couple of extracts from Export and Freights Court Reports highlighting the dangers and driving with overweight vehicles and why a weighbridge is necessary.

Vehicle was Dangerously Overweight

A County Antrim operator has convicted at Antrim Magistrates’ Court and fined a total of £500 plus £31 court costs. The conviction arose when DVA Vehicle Examiners topped a 2 axle Mercedes van and directed the vehicle to the DOE weighbridge site at Toomebridge.
The vehicle was subsequently found to be overweight on the 1st axle by 344kgs (20.8%), on the 2nd axle by 511kgs (22.7%) and on its gross vehicle weight by 1,255kgs (35.8%).
The vehicle was overloaded to such an extent that it was deemed to be in a dangerous condition and it was prohibited from moving until the load was adjusted on site to the correct legal limit.
When a company director was interviewed about the offence he replied: “I didn’t know about the legal load that is allowed to be carried on a long wheel base sprinter was so low.”

Overweight

A County Londonderry driver was convicted at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court and fined a total of £500 plus £34 court costs.
The conviction arose when DVA Vehicle Examiners stopped a 3 + 5 axle DAF goods vehicle at Harbour Highway, Larne and found it to be overweight on its gross train weight by 39040kgs (88.72%).

Fined for being Overweight

A County Tyrone operator was convicted at Enniskillen Magistrates’ Court and fined a total of £900 plus £31 court costs.
The conviction arose when DVA Vehicle Examiners stopped a 3 axle Volvo articulated goods vehicle in combination with a 3 axle Fruehauf semi trailer in the vicinity of the A4 Enniskillen.
The driver was directed to the test centre in Enniskillen where the vehicle was found to be overweight on its gross train weight by 4640kgs (10.54%) and overweight on the 3 closely spaced axles 4, 5 &6 by 3580kgs (14.9%) and overweight on the 3 axle by 2060kgs (17.91%).