Section 194 of MVA : Section 194: Driving Vehicle Exceeding Permissible Weight

Explanation using Example

Imagine a truck driver named John who is transporting goods across state lines. He is in a hurry and decides to load his truck with goods weighing 10 tonnes over the legal limit to save time and reduce transportation costs. As he drives through a highway, he is stopped at a checkpoint where the authorities, using a weighbridge, determine that his truck is overloaded. According to Section 194(1) of The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, John is fined twenty thousand rupees for the contravention, plus an additional two thousand rupees per tonne of excess load, amounting to a total fine of forty thousand rupees. Furthermore, he is required to off-load the excess weight before he is allowed to proceed.

In another scenario, let's say a different truck driver, Sarah, has a load that is not overweight but is improperly arranged, with some items sticking out beyond the sides of the truck. This is a safety hazard and violates the loading regulations. Under Section 194(1A), she would face a fine of twenty thousand rupees and would have to rearrange the load properly before continuing her journey. If she had special permission from the authorities for an exceptional load, she would not be subject to this penalty.

Lastly, consider a driver named Alex who is signaled by traffic officers to stop for a weight check, but he chooses to ignore the directive and continues driving. Later, when he is finally apprehended, under Section 194(2), he is liable to pay a hefty fine of forty thousand rupees for refusing to stop and submit his vehicle for weighing as directed.