In an attempt to save money on professional cargo transportation services, people sometimes pile rather bulky and heavy objects onto their vehicle, attaching them to the body with improvised materials. But such a design poses a serious threat to surrounding drivers and pedestrians when driving on public roads. Therefore, in order to increase safety, the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation provides for a substantial fine for oversize, which can be applied to both passenger vehicles and trucks.
Characteristics of oversized cargo
According to the traffic rules, oversized cargo can be considered to be any type of cargo that, when placed on a vehicle or trailer, hangs above the road surface from the rear, front or side. But liability for such transportation occurs only if the driver violates the standards established by GOST for luggage protrusion of less than 1 meter. In other cases, the transit of long and wide objects in a car or truck is not prohibited by law.
You can also receive a fine for transporting objects whose weight exceeds the maximum carrying capacity of the vehicle. Moreover, this also applies to the overweight on one axle. After all, such a phenomenon can provoke an imbalance of the vehicle, which at speed will cause loss of control. Well, this increases the risk of getting into an accident.
Transportation of dangerous goods
When transporting dangerous goods, there are a number of strict rules, detailed in ADR. They relate to transportation by both freight and passenger vehicles.
As for strict restrictions, they apply to the quantity of products. For example, if the liquid is flammable, then 240 liters can be transported in one trip.
The rules also stipulate a number of requirements for the containers used. A passenger vehicle is allowed to transport no more than 15 gas cylinders.
If you plan to transport hazardous products in quantities exceeding the permitted norm, special training and permitting documentation, including an approved route, are required. If one of the requirements is violated, the driver will be issued a fine (from 15 thousand rubles).
Transporting a number of dangerous goods in a taxi is prohibited by law. This applies to hazardous substances, products with a strong odor, bladed weapons and firearms with missing packaging or cover.
The driver driving the taxi may refuse the service if the cargo to be transported could pollute or damage the interior.
Parameters of legal transportation
In the current rules of the Russian Federation, Article 23, consisting of 5 separate parts, is responsible for the permissible GOST of large-sized luggage. It describes in detail:
- How many centimeters can the load extend beyond the front, rear and side of the vehicle or trailer?
- In what cases does a motorist receive permission to transit oversized vehicles?
- Types of administrative penalties for violation of Art. 23 traffic rules.
Also, the mentioned section of these rules includes requirements for securing transported objects on your own vehicle. Indeed, if they fail while driving, the driver will bear responsibility for the damage caused.
By lenght
It is important to know! When stopping a vehicle, State Traffic Inspectorate officers can issue a fine to a citizen for being oversized only if it protrudes beyond the line of the rear or front bumpers by more than one meter.
If the object is placed on the roof of the car in such a way that it hangs out only 0.1 - 0.9 m from both the rear and the front, then such transportation will not be considered a violation. But for greater safety, traffic police inspectors will ask the motorist to attach bright red or orange ribbons to the edges of the luggage so that other road users will pay attention to it in a timely manner.
Width
In accordance with Article 23 of the Traffic Regulations of the Russian Federation, a fine for oversized width is considered to be a protrusion of cargo beyond the permissible limits of the vehicle by more than 40 cm. In this case, the portion of luggage that does not fit on the trunk of a vehicle or trailer should be measured not at the extreme point of the body, as was the case in the first version, but by rear light signals. After all, in the dark, drivers may not notice an oversized object on the roof of a car and catch it when overtaking, causing an accident.
By height
Considering these rules of the Russian Federation (namely, Article 23, paragraph 4), it can be noted that the legislation does not provide for a specific restriction on piling luggage up high. But in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offenses, a fine for oversized height is issued to a motorist if the highest point of his vehicle reaches 4 or more meters above the road surface.
It is important to know! Moreover, this applies to both passenger cars and special-purpose trucks (an onboard GAZelle, a truck tractor or a tractor with a trailer).
Rules for the transportation of oversized cargo
In addition to the traffic rules, instructions for transporting large items in passenger cars are contained in the following regulations:
- Government Decree No. 272 “On the rules for transporting goods by road”;
- Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 258 “On the procedure for issuing permits for the transportation of heavy and large-sized cargo”;
- Order of the Ministry of Transport No. 7 “On safety rules for the transportation of passengers and cargo.”
Main restrictions:
- Exceeding the permissible speed.
- Transportation in difficult weather conditions: snowfall, ice, poor visibility.
- Driving on the side of the road.
- Stopping outside parking lots and parking areas.
- Continue driving if malfunctions or breakdowns of the vehicle occur.
Permitted dimensions
According to clause 23.4 of the Traffic Regulations, a load whose dimensions protrude beyond the front and rear of the vehicle by more than 1 m and on the sides by more than 40 cm is considered large. All items that fit within the specified parameters are considered oversized and do not have any special recommendations for transportation.
Traffic regulations regarding luggage dimensions:
- by lenght. An object placed on a passenger car can protrude 1 m beyond its limits. If the luggage protrudes beyond the specified distance on only one side (front or rear), then it is still considered oversized;
- in width. The maximum protrusion of a regular load should not exceed 40 cm, all others are oversized. The measurement must be taken from the edge of the rear marker light. This means that the overhang from the side door will be slightly smaller;
- in height. There are no clear instructions regarding this parameter in clause 23.4, but according to clause 23.5, the maximum distance of the top point from the asphalt cannot exceed 4 meters. Moreover, if the item does not exceed the criteria for length and width, but its height is, for example, 3.85 m, then the designation “Large cargo” is not required.
Penalty for failure to comply with conditions
Violation of the rules for transporting large and heavy luggage in a personal car is considered a minor offense, and therefore, as a maximum punishment for it, the Code of Administrative Offenses can impose only a material penalty on the driver, the amount of which directly depends on the circumstances of the incident. We will consider below what specific fines for oversized cargo will be received by owners of passenger cars and trucks in 2021.
Inconsistency with dimensions
Most often, motorists are caught precisely because the dimensions of the transported luggage do not comply with the established GOST, which is punishable by law as follows:
- Material penalties in the amount of 1000 to 1500 rubles for individuals, and from 10 to 15 thousand rubles. for commercial organizations - if the permissible load hanging limit is exceeded by less than 10 cm;
- A fine of 3,000 to 4,000 rubles for ordinary motorists, and from 25 to 40 thousand rubles. for legal entities - in case of deviation from generally accepted standards by 10-20 cm;
- Protocol in the amount of 5,000 to 10,000 rubles for citizens, and from 35 to 40 thousand rubles. for legal entities - when exceeding GOST by 20-50 cm.
It is important to know! At the same time, it is worth noting that such a fine for oversized cargo is provided for both the length and width of the hanging. And it is used for all categories of vehicles, including special equipment (unaccompanied).
Transport without permission
We mentioned earlier that State Traffic Inspectorate employees have the right to issue a decree not only if the size of the luggage does not match, but also if its weight exceeds. The penalty for such an offense is only 500 rubles.
The same applies to drivers transporting cargo without a special permit issued by local authorities or the regional Rosavtodor. But if the oversized vehicle is equipped with reflective tapes or a corresponding sign, then traffic police inspectors may limit themselves to a verbal warning.
Exceeding the values specified in the permit
We have already found out what the fine is for transporting oversized cargo without permission, and now it’s time to find out what a motorist faces for violating the requirements specified in the waybill. These rules say the following about this:
- In case of non-compliance with GOST established by Rosavtodor, an ordinary citizen will face a financial penalty in the amount of 5,000 rubles;
- If you ignore the requirements for permission to transport oversized items, legal entities will have to pay from 80 to 100 thousand rubles.
Administrative penalties are also provided for providing false data on the volume and weight of luggage when contacting authorized bodies. But in such cases, the driver will face not only a financial penalty, but also the evacuation of his vehicle to an impound lot for up to 1 month.
Possible controversial situations
Various situations can happen on the road. But, as practice shows, to issue a resolution under Art. 23 of the Russian Federation Traffic Regulations is not so simple, due to two reasons:
- It is impossible to determine a deviation from GOST by eye, and therefore stopping a car by an inspector may be unfounded, for which he is entitled to a reprimand;
- Everything that is not prohibited is permitted.
The second point implies the implementation of the reports specified in Art. 23 clause 3 of these rules:
- The transported cargo should not interfere with the driver’s good visibility or make it difficult to control the vehicle;
- Transported baggage cannot cover the vehicle's lights, license plates or identification marks;
- Luggage loaded onto a vehicle during transportation should not create much noise or pollute the environment.
Advice! If these traffic rules are not violated, then one can argue about the GOST standards for hanging cargo.
We found out what fine drivers face for transporting oversized cargo, and how you can avoid liability under Art. 23 of these rules. In conclusion, it is worth adding that in practice, traffic police inspectors rarely stop a vehicle for the reason mentioned. After all, it is very difficult to prove a motorist’s guilt due to the non-compliance of his luggage with GOST. The size of the financial penalty in this case is quite small to waste time on its preparation.
Transport requirements
To deliver small-sized cargo, you need transport that is suitable in terms of parameters. So what if a specially equipped vehicle is not required? Correspondence between the volume of the batch and the cargo capacity of the vehicle is important in organizing transportation.
Large companies have a staff of cars of different brands and purposes, while individual entrepreneurs own 2-3 cars, and sometimes even one.
When choosing a vehicle for transporting small luggage, the following parameters are important:
- Cargo capacity. This parameter is important, because despite its small size, the cargo can be quite impressive in weight. Therefore, the minimum carrying capacity of vehicles is 500 kg.
- Internal volume of the body (not to be confused with carrying capacity!). The demand for a particular car depends on how many items can be placed in the body. Therefore, the free space inside the body should be as free as possible.
- Height matters. The approved maximum width is found almost everywhere. But not everyone remembers that some goods and household items are allowed to be transported only in an upright position, that is, while standing. Finding a van with the required height can be difficult; transportation has to be carried out on open platforms.
- Fuel consumption. Cars with low gasoline consumption and small engine capacity, since it is gasoline consumption when driving that affects the fluctuations in the cost of services of a particular carrier.
- Availability of repairs. Well-assembled cars are pleasant to use, but only until the first repair. With the high cost of spare parts, the car automatically becomes unprofitable, since the cost of spare parts + the cost of their delivery often cancels out the income from the provision of transportation services.
- Reliability. Almost all criteria can be included in this term, but still, reliability of assembly, minimum frills and high-quality material increase the service life of the vehicle and minimize repair work or unscheduled maintenance.
Of course, when choosing the necessary car, it is worth remembering the destination of the delivery - within Russia or outside its borders, which is quite expensive for most people ordering transportation. Cars intended for delivery abroad can be equipped with additional equipment, while most still remain in the hands of others.
