Whether planning long road trips or using your vehicle to transport loads, GVM is something you should care about. Excluding ensuring a longer lifespan for your car, keeping GVM in mind will also decrease the risk of getting into road trouble. Continue reading to know why.
What does GVM stand for?
GVM stands for Gross Vehicle Weight. It is the weight of a vehicle without any load added with the heaviest load the vehicle is designed to bear. With load, this includes passengers, cargo, etc. Gross Vehicle Weight is also used interchangeably with Maximum Authorized Mass or (MAM). Both describe the maximum weight a vehicle can sustain on the road.
Most truck drivers are particular with GVM because of the nature of their jobs. However, car owners should know their car’s maximum load capacity to avoid complications on and off the highways.
How Would You Know Your Car’s GVM?
Your automobile might have its Gross Vehicle Weight indicated on its plate. A sticker attached to your car and its user manual might also tell of its GVW.
How Would You Know Your Car’s Maximum Payload?
To identify your vehicle’s maximum payload, first determine its curb weight. Car manufacturers indicate the Curb Weight information. It is the car’s weight when not in use and empty of passengers, fuel, load, or other accessories.
To get the maximum payload, subtract the vehicle’s Curb Weight from the Gross Vehicle Weight. The difference is the maximum weight your car will be able to handle. Find public weighbridges near your location to check whether your vehicle is over the limit.
Can You Increase Your Car’s GVM?
Business owners saw an opportunity to provide a solution to beating the limits of manufacturer-determined Gross Vehicle Weight limit.
Modification can upgrade your car’s capacity, increasing your vehicle’s weight. Check out the best gvm kits with just a click away.
The Hazards of Neglecting Car GVM
It is a need to make sure that you do not exceed your maximum payload. Being particular with your GVM will enable your car to transport weights without short and long-term repercussions. Some of these repercussions are:
1. Being Accident Prone
Maneuvering your car by your steering wheel will be difficult in an overloaded setup. It will hinder you from taking abrupt breaks if you try to stop the vehicle from ramming.
Uneven weight will impede the speed of accelerating your vehicle. In addition, your car will respond at a slower rate to steering.
2. Vehicle Damage
Brakes are subject to greater stress when your car carries weight exceeding its maximum payload. In addition, tires are easier to wear down. Faster tire wear down is no wonder because your tires share the vehicle weight. It will lessen the traction on your tires—a hazard, especially when roads are wet due to inclement weather.
It might be tempting to stuff all your cargo and just get on with it. Damage to your car’s structure can be a problem over time. Thus, neglecting your vehicle GVM could cost you a higher price in the long run.
3. Insurance-Compromised
If you and your vehicle got involved in a traffic accident, hitting above your gross vehicle weight might compromise your chance of covering the damages with insurance. This insurance dilemma is due to the accident being associated with negligence on your part.
4. Ticketing Charges on You
The authorities desire to minimize the chances of having TAs and casualties. In general, not paying attention to your vehicle and its capacity can be negligence that might harm you and others on the road. Therefore, you might get a ticket charged when you go over your car’s GVM. Prevent this. Why pay when you can avoid it?
GVM Awareness is a Responsibility
Having your driver’s license is a privilege. Though it is a right to own a vehicle and enjoy the advancements of technology, with it comes the responsibility to observe road safety. Awareness is your responsibility towards your passengers, other drivers, and commuters. Pay added attention to your GVM and drive responsibly.