Find out how to load your vehicle properly. Read how to load a vehicle safely and in accordance with the applicable regulations.
The correct stowage of the load on the vehicle has a great influence on many things. We explain what rules should be followed when loading a vehicle in order not to break the applicable regulations.
Proper load distribution on a vehicle affects not only safety and comfort of driving. It also has a significant impact on fuel consumption, which translates into costs for the transport company. It is worth to follow several practical rules during loading.
Above all, the goods placed on the trailer must be evenly distributed. In this case the volume of individual pallets is not the only consideration. It is their weight that counts. An uneven load distribution is very risky and can provoke dangerous situations during transport. All trailer wheels must be equally loaded. Under no circumstances should one side be overloaded as this can affect the stability of the track.
It is also advisable to ensure that the load is distributed evenly over the individual axles. This minimizes the risk of damage to the axles. Remember that the load on an individual axle should not exceed the maximum value for a given road. This is why it is so important to plan your journey before you set off.
In order to reduce fuel consumption, it is a good idea to keep the load on the driven axle in the right proportions. The driven axle load should be greater than 25% of the total weight of the vehicle including the load. The front axle load should be at least 20% of the total weight of the vehicle with the load. A weighted front end will greatly improve the control of the car. To make the car more stable on the road, it is a good idea to place the heaviest weight as close to the ground as possible.
A very important issue is also the constant control of the transported load. Despite adequate protection, individual elements of the load may move during the drive. Even the slightest displacement can have a serious impact on safety. Therefore, it is worthwhile to carefully inspect the transported load at every stop. This is especially important during any partial reloading. Abrupt braking on the road is also very dangerous. Such a situation may lead to shifting of the center of gravity.
It is fundamental to ensure that the regulations concerning the maximum load of the vehicle are observed. Even the best distributed load will pose a great danger if its weight exceeds the permitted limit for the specific vehicle model.
During the inspection of the Road Transport Inspection, the weight of the loaded vehicle is checked for compliance with the permissible total weight and the permissible axle load. Exceeding these limits may result in a high financial penalty. The responsibility for overloading the vehicle usually lies with the transport company.
Overloading is understood as placing in the cargo space of the vehicle goods whose weight exceeds the previously mentioned permissible total weight and permissible axle load. As the ITD and Police statistics show, it happens more and more often that the inspected vehicles drive contrary to the regulations in force. Currently, even 30% of trucks in Poland are overloaded. It is a huge problem in the context of road safety. Overloaded trucks contribute to the deterioration of road surface, which gradually worsens the condition of roads in Poland and leads to huge losses.
Distribution of goods on the trailer has a huge impact on the safety and comfort of driving. Adherence to the limits in force, combined with good practices in loading techniques, will avoid unpleasant situations during inspections and will reduce the total cost of transporting the cargo.
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