Traffic police across the country will increase checks on overloaded cars and trucks from next week, said Nguyen Van Quyen, deputy director of the Directorate for Roads.

Police will use mobile scales in the crack down on overloaded vehicles in a bid to curb the number of traffic accidents and minimise damage caused to roads and bridges by heavy vehicles, he said.

If goods on an automobile exceed its loading capacity by 30 per cent, the driver will be fined VND2.5 million (US$120) and have their work permit suspended for 60 days.

If goods on the automobile exceed its loading capacity by 20 per cent, the driver can receive a fine of VND750,000 ($36) and have their work permit suspended for 30 days.

Overloaded vehicles will be moved to an appropriate place to unload goods before continuing on their journey, he said.

Directors of police departments and directors of transport departments will inspect police work on weighing overloaded vehicles, and police officers who do not process violations according to procedures will have their wages docked.

Transport enterprises are responsible for disseminating information about regulations on load weights for vehicles to their drivers to ensure they obey traffic laws, said Quyen.

The crack down follows the death of a man on April 9 when an overloaded trailer transporting more than 100 tonnes of huong timber overturned in Dong Ha District, in the central province of Quang Tri. The timber crushed the 40-year-old to death.

Earlier on October 30 last year a 15.5-tonne lorry transporting 30 tonnes of cow pat caused the collapse of the Binh Cach Bridge in Chau Thanh District, in the southern province of Long An. The bridge had a capacity of bearing 8 tonnes.

Source: VNS