Drivers across the UK are facing fines of up to £10,000 as cases of the most common driving offence continue to rise. New analysis of official data by Dawsongroup vans reveals that around 60 per cent of all Light Goods Vehicle (LGV) offences recorded between 2021/22 and early 2025/26 were due to vehicles carrying excessive weight.
Rising Number of Offences
According to the data, 1,181 offences were recorded during this period, with 709 linked directly to overloading. Of those, 687 resulted in convictions—a conviction rate of nearly 97 per cent. This high rate underscores how likely drivers are to be penalised if caught.
In the first three months of 2025, the average fine for an overloading offence stood at £9,882.44, meaning a single breach could cost nearly £10,000.
Expert Commentary
Aaron Cawrey, Head of Fleet at Dawsongroup Vans, commented: “Many van offences arise from day-to-day operational pressures rather than deliberate rule breaking. Payload can vary from job to job, vehicles may carry different equipment throughout the week, and compliance checks can sometimes be overlooked when teams are working to tight schedules.”
He added: “Ensuring the right vehicle specification for the job, understanding payload limits and maintaining consistent vehicle checks can significantly reduce compliance risks for businesses operating vans. When you look at the figures, overloading and construction and use violations together account for more than 80 per cent of prosecutions.”
Fixed Penalties and Enforcement
Fixed penalties for overloading are graduated, meaning the amount can vary depending on the circumstances or severity of the offence. This approach is currently used for breaches of drivers’ hours rules and vehicle overloading.
A DVSA examiner can stop any vehicle on the road and issue a fixed-penalty notice if appropriate. Examiners follow the DVSA enforcement sanctions policy when issuing graduated fixed penalties and financial deposits. While discretion is sometimes used, it is applied fairly.
Alleged offenders have the right to contest the offence in court if they wish. The DVSA primarily uses this system when dealing with commercial goods and passenger-carrying vehicles.
Fixed Penalty Amounts
- £50 fine, non-endorsable
- £100 fine, non-endorsable or endorsable with 3 penalty points
- £200 fine, non-endorsable or endorsable with 3 penalty points
- £300 fine, non-endorsable
Drivers and businesses are urged to regularly check vehicle payload limits and ensure compliance to avoid substantial fines and penalties.
