Tips on driving with a heavy load
When you have passed your test and been driving for a while, you might find yourself driving with a heavy load.
For instance if you are going on holiday then you might have lots of stuff that you need to take with you and also perhaps you will have a roofrack on the top of the car that also has been loaded. How will this affect the driving experience for you?
Well first of all you should ensure that if you have a roof rack or similar that you use one from an authorised dealer and are sure to follow all the instructions carefully in order to ensure that it is fitted and secured correctly.
One point to note is that you will find that you use up a little more fuel with a roof rack and this is because it increases the air resistance on the car so it needs to work slightly harder and therefore use more fuel to move a given distance.
When you are driving in a straight line you may not be too aware of the heavier load, but when you are going around corners you may well be more likely to notice that the car handles differently, so be particularly careful particularly when travelling with a heavier load for the first time and get suitably accustomed to the different driving conditions.
Bear in mind there is a possibility that the tyre pressure should be increased with a heavy load, the car handbook will be able to tell you about this.
If you have a roof rack, as mentioned nesure everything is secure and therefore are not going to move position when you steer and turn around corners. If something should fall off them it can be very dangerous, for obvious reasons. If the item cannot be retrieved safely then you will quite likely need to contact the police.
Related Articles...
Regular car checks to perform
In addition to the daily checks that you should perform on core elements of your car such as the tyres (see article entitled 'what to check on your car daily') there are various other elements that...
The Driving Standards Agency
The Driving Standards Agency has a website at www.dsa.gov.uk.
They are an executive agency within the Department for Transport in the UK.
They deliver tests for theory and practical...
The day of the theory test
On the day of the theory test you may well feel nervous. As with any test or examination of any kind this is of course natural as everybody is anxious to do their best and to pass the...
What's the point of the theory test?
The official theory test is a relatively recent addition to the driving test, and has evolved and become more comprehensive over time. For many of us who ask our parents about the driving test,...
How to get your provisional driving license
In order to take the theory test, and ultimately the practical driving test, you will need to have a valid provisional driving license. Indeed you need the provisional license in order to be able...
How to learn UK road signs
Learning UK road signs is something that will unfortunately require you to
take the time to study them all. Many signs turn up in the theory test so
you do need to take the time to do this. But...
Taking the theory test if you don't speak English
Not everyone who takes the Driving Theory Test will be confident enough in their ability to speak and understand English to take the test. Whilst some people in Wales will want to take the test in...
Vehicles that cannot be used for a practical test
The vast majority of drivers will of course use the vehicle of their instructor or driving school when they take their practical test and so will not need to worry about the vehicle.
However...
What causes accidents: overtaking
When you overtake a vehicle, there are often many things to consider.
First of all you need to ensure that it is, as far as you are aware, safe to do so. Therefore don't overtake close to...
Dealing with nerves
Learning to drive can make people nervous, and even if you are a confident
driver then you may get nervous before the driving test itself. If this
happens to you, then don't worry. It is only...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
