Strict penalties for overloaded vehicles.

(Baonghean.vn) 132 cases of overloaded vehicles were fined; 27 drivers had their driving licenses suspended for 60 days, and 50 cases had their driving licenses suspended for 30 days... These are the results of a recent inspection of cargo transport vehicles exceeding design load and road load limits by the Inspectorate of the Department of Transport on national and provincial roads...

Although the above figures are the result of an inspection conducted over a one-month period (from December 4th to December 31st, 2011), they reflect a long-standing reality: the problem of vehicles carrying oversized and overweight cargo, exceeding the vehicle's design load capacity and the permissible load limits of bridges and roads.

This not only affects the lifespan of bridges and roads but also causes traffic accidents. Particularly in Tan, Ky, Quy Hop districts and the northwestern districts, vehicles transporting stone blocks, crushed stone, and raw materials often carry loads 2-3 times exceeding the permitted weight limit for bridges and roads, and 3-4 times exceeding the design load limit. These vehicles operate day and night, causing damage and deformation to the road surface of National Highways 48, 48C, and Provincial Highway 545. Authorities have issued administrative violation notices and warnings to prevent repeat offenses. Numerous drivers and vehicle owners from businesses located in Nghia Dan and Quy Hop districts have been penalized, yet the problem of overloading persists.

According to the assessment of the Inspectorate of the Department of Transport, the actual number of violations is much higher, but the authorities have not been able to detect and handle them. The reason is that the task force is still insufficient, and the vehicles supporting patrol and control do not meet the requirements.

Meanwhile, drivers of overloaded vehicles are increasingly employing sophisticated tactics to evade law enforcement, such as choosing to transport goods late at night; removing front and rear license plates; or, more seriously, fleeing without complying with inspection orders, locking the vehicle without presenting documents, or leaving the scene.

In particular, many vehicles have been fined 2-3 times but still re-offend. Besides violating trucks, there is also the problem of many households using the road and sidewalks from km 0 + 500 to km 1 + 100 of National Highway 48 and many sections of National Highway 48C as places to stockpile and sell materials, obstructing visibility, washing vehicles, causing subsidence, structural damage, and deformation of the road surface, creating potential traffic accidents...

Given the increasingly complex situation of overloaded vehicles, traffic inspectors, traffic police, road management agencies, and local authorities need to strengthen legal education on traffic safety for business owners and drivers, while also increasing inspections and strictly penalizing drivers and vehicle owners who intentionally violate regulations. They must resolutely handle and force vehicles to reduce their load when the weight exceeds the permitted vehicle weight and the load capacity of bridges and roads. They should also encourage the public to comply with the Road Traffic Law and not use road shoulders and lanes illegally.

Khanh Ly