The driver of a jeep towing a trailer with a skip was grounded by Gardaí recently due to the detection of road safety offences.
The driver in question was stopped by members of An Garda Síochána in Co. Cavan last week over road safety concerns due to excessive weight on the jeep and trailer with one tyre defective.
Road safety
Taking to social media on Friday (August 13), Gardaí based in the Cavan-Monaghan division said:
“Earlier in the week this vehicle was stopped by the Gardai in Bailieboro. The legal gross combination weight of this jeep, trailer and load should not exceed 6t.
“It turned out that the gross combination weight in this case was 9t. As can be seen the excessive weight caused one of the tyres to fail.
“There were also no tail lights or brake lights on the trailer.
“The vehicle and trailer were seized for a PSV [public service vehicle] inspection and a prosecution will now follow.”
What does the law say?
According to the Road Safety Authority (RSA), all vehicles should have a plate stating its towing capacity.
It is illegal to exceed the stated towing capacity, which is the maximum weight the vehicle can draw.
In addition, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure a trailer is roadworthy:
“If you’re towing a trailer, it is your responsibility as the driver to ensure that both the towing vehicle and trailer are safe and mechanically sound, fit for purpose, and legally compliant with all relevant Road Traffic legislation.”
This, the RSA notes, includes basics such as ensuring that: “tyres have adequate tread depth and are free from defects; lights and brakes are working; and the hitch is in good condition”.