Dealing with oversized and overloaded vehicles: A comprehensive solution is needed.

(Baonghean.vn) – Along with many other localities nationwide, in Nghe An province, the Provincial Police and other functional forces have coordinated to inspect and handle vehicles carrying oversized and overloaded goods that exceed regulations on road traffic in the area.

At Traffic Control Station 5-1, in just three days (from May 10th to May 12th), during inspections and enforcement of violations related to oversized and overloaded cargo vehicles on National Highway 1A through Nghe An province, authorities inspected and detected 110 cases of vehicles showing signs of violations, and 50 cases required unloading. These were mainly trucks and semi-trailers. Although aware of their violations, most drivers of oversized and overloaded vehicles offered various excuses to justify their actions. Mr. Hoang Tien Duan, a long-distance truck driver carrying overloaded cargo, residing in Tan Ky (Hai Duong), admitted that the poor road conditions were partly caused by his overloaded vehicle, but argued that as a hired driver, he had to do whatever the owner told him to do to earn a living.

Overloaded and oversized vehicles were seized and processed at the Dien Chau Traffic Control Station.

During the implementation and enforcement process, identifying overloaded vehicles is proving to be a significant challenge. In reality, establishing weighing stations on national highways is very costly and requires many resources such as unloading areas, vehicle storage facilities, and warehouses for storing goods. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Dinh Khuong, Head of Traffic Team 5-1, Nghe An Provincial Police, stated that when a vehicle is found violating regulations, the police have to escort it to a weighing station, sometimes tens of kilometers away, before it can be operational.

Furthermore, taking advantage of the designated checkpoints for weight checks, drivers have found ways to bypass them by taking alternative routes or exploiting shifts between officers to transport their goods. Therefore, enforcement of regulations remains ineffective. In the coming period, the inter-agency task force will maintain control over oversized and overloaded vehicles on National Highway 1A, while expanding this to other national and provincial highways. Lieutenant Colonel Cao Minh Phuong, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department of Nghe An Provincial Police, stated that limiting and preventing oversized and overloaded vehicles requires a coordinated and decisive effort from all levels and sectors, especially from key forces.

Many newly constructed or upgraded roads are quickly damaged by oversized and overloaded vehicles. Many businesses, driven by short-term profits, continue to violate regulations. Controlling oversized and overloaded vehicles is a sound policy. However, to protect the road network and prevent traffic accidents caused by overloaded vehicles, authorities need a comprehensive solution to address this problem at its root.

Huong Giang