How many points will be deducted for overloading a minivan?
2 Answers
Driving an operational passenger vehicle (excluding buses) or school bus with passengers exceeding the approved number by less than 20% will result in a one-time deduction of 6 points. Driving a passenger vehicle other than an operational passenger vehicle (excluding buses) or school bus with passengers exceeding the approved number by less than 20% will result in a one-time deduction of 3 points.
I have extensive experience driving minivans for passenger transport and have seen too many cases of overloading penalties. The regulations are clear: minivans typically have a rated capacity of 7 or 8 seats, and the overloading ratio determines the penalty. For overloading less than 20%, such as one extra passenger, it's 6 demerit points and a fine of 200-500 RMB. For overloading more than 20%, like a 7-seater carrying 10 people, it's an immediate 12 demerit points and a fine of 500-2000 RMB. A friend of mine was caught overloading last year, had his license suspended, and had to spend time retaking the written test. What's even scarier is that overloading increases accident risks, making rollovers more likely during sharp turns or sudden braking, and car insurance may refuse to cover the losses. Now, I always count passengers before each trip to ensure we don’t exceed the rated capacity. Developing this habit is both safer and saves money, avoiding last-minute troubles. Safety first—don’t take risks to cut corners.
