A small package weighing one kilo, when braking, is capable of causing the ‘elephant effect’ by exerting a force of 60 kilos
During this Christmas it is planned, according to the
DGT, that they are carried out
a total of 19,530,000 trips by highway. Most of them will be carried out with numerous packages in the car, since in addition to the usual suitcases, drivers take advantage of the trips to transfer a good number of gifts.
Carrying loose packages in the vehicle
represents a serious danger that can compromise road safety drivers, passengers and other road users, in addition to carrying significant penalties.
Carrying loose objects inside the car, such as bottles, mobile phones or music players, or not wearing seat belts correctly can cause fatal consequences in the event of braking or an accident, since these are two of the circumstances in which produces
the so-called “elephant effect”.
DGT explains that this phenomenon occurs when a passenger traveling in the back seat,
the seat belt is not fastened and braking occurs. This causes the person in the front seat to be struck with a force equivalent, based on their weight and vehicle speed, to the weight of a pachyderm. This is called the elephant effect, borrowing from an old French ad campaign saying “don’t ride with an elephant in the back seat.”
Put the objects in the car
compensated and try not to carry loose packages are some of the fundamental recommendations. But in addition to the basic rules for safe travel, others must also be taken into account, in this case so as not to commit an illegality. In fact, it must be taken into account that each car is different and, therefore, we must ensure that we do not exceed the load capacity recommended by the manufacturer. Thus, we will avoid increasing vehicle wear and, above all, making driving difficult when accelerating and braking.
The driver must load the luggage correctly in the boot space and adapt your driving style. Failure to do so runs the risk of losing control or, in the event of an accident, the luggage hitting the occupants, worsening the consequences.
From the
RACE They explain that it is convenient to dedicate enough time to correctly secure the load, the safety of the occupants depends to a great extent on this. Fasten the rear seat belts, even if there are no passengers, as it prevents luggage from passing
from the trunk to the passenger compartment. If you use a chest, preferably with a lock and an aerodynamic shape; or consider the option of putting a roof rack in the car. Keep in mind that hoods raise the vehicle’s center of gravity making it more unstable, they also reduce engine power and increase stopping distance.
From
Occasion Plus They recommend both on short trips and long-distance trips to store all packages in the trunk in an orderly manner.
However, when the trunk is not enough,
the most widespread practice is to carry them loose in the car, an action that carries numerous dangers unknown to many drivers. Knowing your risks and what precautions to take is essential to ensure road safety, not compromise the behavior of the vehicle and avoid even exposing yourself to a penalty.
The main risks when arriving loose objects are the following:
– It hinders the driver’s vision: Transporting very bulky packages carries the danger of reducing the driver’s field of vision. In the case of doing it in the rear seats, it can compromise the vision offered by the rear window, so a right rear-view mirror must be available. If the packages are located on the passenger seat, it can make it difficult to perform maneuvers such as overtaking or parking.
– The elephant effect: Carrying loose objects in the interior of the car is a great danger. In motion, an object can multiply between 50 and 60 times the value of its mass, so that when braking at 60 km / h, a one-kilo package would have a force equivalent to 60 kilograms.
– Limits freedom of movement: Driving with a large object that limits the driver’s movements compromises their driving skills and their ability to react.
– Pedals jam: a small gift can move on slopes until it is under the driver’s pedals, potentially blocking them and causing a fright or loss of control of the vehicle.
– If there is an overload: the behavior of the vehicle changes: traveling with an excess load increases the stopping distance, slows down acceleration and modifies the vehicle’s dynamics as well as the reaction of the tires.
Fines
If we do not comply with the
General Traffic Regulations (RGC) When it comes to transporting the gifts, we can also expose ourselves to receiving an important sanction:
– Transport loose packages inside the car:
the penalty can amount to € 200 if the packages are not secured and immobilized inside the passenger compartment. This is reflected in article 14 of the General Traffic Regulations, which states that the load transported in a vehicle must not “drag, fall totally or partially or move in a dangerous manner.”
– Compromising the stability of the vehicle: like the previous one, it is an assumption included in article 14 of the RGC that specifically states that the load cannot “compromise the stability of the vehicle” or otherwise
may result in a € 200 fine.
– Manipulate or relocate a gift: although the action itself is not expressly included in the General Traffic Regulations, if an agent considers that road safety is endangered, it may be punishable.
with a fine of 80 euros. When trying to move a gift, one hand is removed from the steering wheel and it is possible that, even, look away from the road for about 4 seconds, which at a speed of 100 km / h means traveling 113 meters blindly.
– A package limits mobility or hinders vision: it is an offense classified as serious that carries a fine of € 200. Article 18 of the RGC explicitly states that “the driver of a vehicle is obliged to maintain his own freedom of movement,
the necessary field of view and permanent attention to driving, which guarantees their own safety, that of the rest of the occupants of the vehicle and that of other road users. For these purposes, he must take special care to maintain the proper position and that the rest of the passengers maintain it, and the proper placement of the objects or animals transported so that there is no interference between the driver and any of them.
– The package exceeds the maximum authorized mass of the vehicle: it is difficult to happen with the usual Christmas gifts, but if this happens
the penalty will be between 301 and 4,000 euros. It will also be a reason for a high fine if packages that protrude from the floor of the car are transported, that load is not marked with an approved plate or hides any light or mandatory signaling object.
– The gift falls to the road due to its poor conditioning: the Law on Traffic, Circulation of Motor Vehicles and Road Safety typifies this very serious offense and is sanctioned
with a fine of € 500, due to the danger it may pose to other road users.
The last recommendation when arriving at the destination, especially if the vehicle is going to remain on the street, is to empty the car and not leave any hidden gifts in it to avoid being victims of theft. The robbers know that, at this time,
the car is one of the most popular stores to hide the Christmas shopping.
.