Q- Driving an empty truck does the 80km/h speed limit apply or only when I’m loaded?
A- Any goods vehicle with a GVM or truck-tractor with a GCM of more than 9 000 kg must adhere to the 80 km/h. It does not matter if it is loaded or not. The GVM is the maximum capacity not the mass the vehicle weighs at the time.
GVM= Gross Vehicle Mass, which means the maximum mass capacity of the vehicle and load
GCM= Gross Combination Mass, which means the mass of vehicle and attached trailer plus load.
Facts on speeding
There are three types of speeding – all dangerous:
- low level – here a driver travels just over the speed limit – usually by 5km/hr. This is the most common form of speeding.
- excessive – deliberate and well over the speed limit
- inappropriate – travelling a speed too fast for the conditions, such as when the road is wet or slippery.
If you speed:
- you have less time to avoid crashes
- you have less control over the vehicle
- it lengthens your stopping distance
- it increases the likelihood of crashing and
- increases the severity of the crash
