B^EWARE       

 - Overloading-
A Curse on Driving

All types of vehicles have different carrying capacities and it is necessary to follow this limit for safety of vehicles, their drivers and other road users. Due to several reasons, mainly commercial, many owners carry passengers or goods much higher to the prescribed limit. Vehicles ranging from motorcycles and scooters up to trucks and buses are quite often found flouting the norms. The violation of carrying capacity makes such vehicles vulnerable to accidents and very often causes accidents.

Overloading is Bad for the
Driver and the Vehicle

Carrying passengers or goods higher than the capacity causes several problems. Being overloaded, the pressure increased on steering result the control of the driver over the vehicle. In these circumstances the driver may lose his control over the steering, resulting into an accident. Heavy loading or overloading affects the braking system of the vehicle, and the brakes of such vehicles do not work instantly, which may cause accidents. Overloading also affects the engine and body of the vehicles. The engine gets weaker gradually after overloading, and wear and tear of the body of the vehicle also becomes fast. Overloading also causes fast wear and tear of the tyres. Thus overloading is bed for the driver as well as the vehicles.

Overloading
Other Road Users

Overloading affects the other road users, because such vehicles wrap the whole road. These vehicles need extra space, on the road and thus consume the share of other road users. These vehicles, being unbalanced due to overloading, scare other road users and thus create problems for them. The situation gets worse when a vehicle, which is overloaded, indulges in over speeding. Such vehicles, particularly buses, become highly prone to accidents, especially negotiating a turn. On these occasions, such vehicles overturn causing loss of several precious lives and goods. Hence there is a need to educate these vehicle owners / drivers to follow the limits of maximum carrying capacity.

-Overloading-
Different Vehicles

Two Wheelers : A two wheeler is made for a maximum of two persons only. One driver and one pillion rider. But very often it is found that more than two persons ride on them. Sometimes, a whole family is seen riding on scooters. This is a very dangerous practice. In these circumstances, the driver finds himself unable to maintain the balance of the vehicle on road and this may lead to accidents. So, the drivers of two wheelers should never take more than one passenger on their vehicles. Also, they should not use two wheelers as goods carriers, which is a common practice in various cities.

Car and other Light Vehicles : A car is made to accommodate five to six persons, including the driver, depending upon the make of the car. However, sometimes drivers of these vehicles are seen indulged in overloading. This is against the norms

Buses : Buses are the most popular mode of public transport. But it has been found that the drivers and conductors of buses, especially private ones, indulge regularly in overloading to earn maximum profit on a trip. These buses have a prescribed sitting and standing capacity, but they do not stick to the norms and put the lives of passengers at risk. Due to overloading, the driver is not able to control the bus properly. Hence, they are advised to stop this practice for a safe road behaviour.

Small Goods Carriers : Small machine operated or man driven goods carriers are very common, especially in cities. But such carriers, to earn a big profit, very often indulge in overloading without any care of their maximum carrying capacity. Tempos, three-wheelers, thelas, hand driven carts fall in this category. they overload and become unable to maintain balance of their vehicles, thus becoming a potential cause of accident. They also block the share of other road users and disrupt the smooth flow of traffic. Such drivers should avoid overloading for their benefit and for other road users.

Truck and tractors : Trucks and tractors are mainly carriers of goods and seen mainly on the highways although they frequent to cities also. They have their maximum carrying capacity, well known to their drivers. But it is occasionally found that they load their vehicles well beyond the prescribed limit and thus become threat to themselves and other road users. On highways overloaded trucks are very frequently seen overturned. This is because the drivers indulge in over speeding along with overloading, thus losing control over the balance of the vehicle. Hence the drivers of such vehicles are advised against this practice and make roads a safer place to drive.

The police of all the states enforce traffic rules. People indulging in the practice of overloading are fined and punished. So stop this habit for the convenience of yourself and others.