Is It Overloading to Have 5 Adults and 1 Child in a 5-Seater Car?
2 Answers
Having 5 adults and 1 child in a 5-seater car is considered overloading. If caught by traffic police in this situation, you may face penalties such as demerit points and fines. The new traffic regulations clearly stipulate: driving a commercial passenger vehicle (excluding buses) or school bus with passengers exceeding the approved capacity by less than 20%, or driving other passenger vehicles with passengers exceeding the approved capacity by more than 20%, will result in a 6-point deduction. These regulations are based on safety considerations, especially for children, who have almost no ability to react in car accidents. Overloading a car has serious hazards, which are reflected in two aspects: 1. Damage to road infrastructure: When a car is overloaded, the actual load exceeds the designed upper limit of the road, leading to pavement damage or bridge fractures, shortening the road's service life; 2. Increased driving danger: An overloaded car has a higher load weight, stronger inertia, and longer braking distance. Excessive load can also affect the car's tires, causing deformation or even blowouts.
As an ordinary person who drives frequently, my view on this issue is straightforward: it's definitely overloading. A 5-seater car is designed for a maximum of 5 people, whether adults or children, each counting as one seat. Having one extra kid might sound insignificant, but in reality, it exceeds the weight limit, unbalances the car, and increases braking distance, making rear-end collisions more likely. I remember my neighbor once took the whole family on a trip, squeezing in six people, and the car lost control during a sharp turn, nearly hitting a tree. The police arrived and issued a fine with points deducted. Legally speaking, traffic rules are clear—overloading is fined several hundred yuan per person. For the safety of both children and adults, don't take the risk for convenience.
