Can a 5-seater SUV accommodate 6 people?
2 Answers
5-seater SUVs cannot accommodate six people. The regulation for five-seater vehicles stipulates that the maximum number of passengers, including the driver, is five. Exceeding this number (including the driver) constitutes an illegal act of overloading. According to the "Road Traffic Safety Law," violators will be fined and have 6 points deducted from their license. Below are the hazards of vehicle overloading: Increased risk of rollover: The more passengers are overloaded, the more the vehicle's center of gravity shifts, making it particularly prone to rollover during turns. Reduced braking performance: Inertia is related to the mass of an object. When braking, the vehicle relies on resistance to stop. The more overloaded the vehicle is, the greater its inertia becomes, making it harder to stop compared to normal conditions. Tire blowouts: Overloading causes the vehicle's tires to operate under excessive load continuously, increasing tire pressure and temperature, which significantly raises the risk of blowouts. Worsened accident outcomes: Under normal circumstances, each occupant in the vehicle has corresponding safety belts, seats, and other equipment. However, in cases of overloading, not everyone is properly equipped, making it impossible to avoid situations that could otherwise be mitigated in the event of an accident.
Absolutely no way to fit 6 people in a 5-seater SUV—that's clearly overloading. Once when returning to my hometown, relatives squeezed six people into my car, and we got pulled over by traffic police at a highway toll booth. Got fined ¥200 and 3 demerit points on the spot. The officer explained that overloading increases braking distance by over 20%, especially dangerous on downhill sections. With four people crammed shoulder-to-shoulder in a three-seat back row, airbags would be useless in a rear-end collision. Still gives me chills thinking about it—better to make an extra trip or call a ride-hailing car than risk overloading. Lives are at stake—no compromises.
