Nearly two thirds of offences by van drivers are for overloading, resulting in a 97% conviction rate
Overloading is responsible for around 60% of van operator prosecutions in England and Wales, according to new study.
The figures show that of 1,181 light goods vehicle offences recorded between 2021/22 and the first quarter of 2025/26, 709 related to overloading.
Of those, 687 resulted in conviction, giving the offence a conviction rate of 96.9%.
Read What is overloading in a van?
That makes overloading not only the most common offence, but also one of the most consistently enforced. Average fines of £9,882 in early 2025 underline the financial risk, with even a single breach capable of delivering a significant hit.
Analysis of government data by Dawsongroup Vans show that other offences trail well behind. Construction and use breaches accounted for 259 cases, followed by vehicle excise duty (or van road tax) at 82, tachograph offences at 35 and plating and testing at 27. Across these categories, conviction rates remain consistently high, typically above 95%.
The data also points to a sharp rise in enforcement activity. Total offences increased from just 68 cases in 2021/22 to 448 in 2024/25, a more than sixfold increase in four years. A further 68 cases were recorded in the first quarter of 2025/26 alone.
Overall, 1,137 of the 1,181 recorded offences resulted in conviction, equating to a conviction rate of around 96%, highlighting how little margin there is for operators who fall foul of the rules.
For operators, overloading is often less about deliberate non-compliance and more about how vans are used day to day. Payload can fluctuate depending on job requirements, equipment and crew, and vehicles running close to their limits can exceed legal thresholds with relatively small changes.
Dawsongroup Vans says the figures point to a wider issue around vehicle suitability and planning, with overloading and construction and use offences together accounting for more than 80% of prosecutions.
Ensuring the right vehicle specification, understanding payload limits and maintaining consistent checks remain the key defences. As enforcement activity increases, the risk of being caught is only going one way.
