Drivers have been warned they could be fined up to £2,000 and have their vehicles immobilised for breaching DVSA road rules.
It comes after the authority highlighted several cases of drivers failing to meet UK road safety requirements, with the DVSA having the power to issue "on-the-spot" fines for various offences ranging from overloading to drivers' hours violations.
The DVSA enforcement teams have been particularly active throughout July, targeting overloaded vehicles, insecure loads and other serious breaches across multiple regions.
The examiners can issue multiple fixed penalty notices during a single roadside check, with each examiner able to impose up to five penalties per encounter. This means drivers could potentially receive up to 10 separate fines if they are stopped by two examiners.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing motoring@gbnews.uk
DVSA ENFORCEMENT | The DVSA has the power to issue 'on-the-spot fines' to drivers caught breaking road rules
The agency's enforcement toolkit includes graduated fixed penalties, where fine amounts increase based on the severity of the offence. Recent enforcement activity demonstrated the scale of penalties being imposed by the agency.
The DVSA enforcement team recently stopped an agricultural tractor and trailer in Oxfordshire that weighed 38 tonnes despite being permitted only 31 tonnes when laden with cattle. The driver received a fixed penalty notice.
Elsewhere in Norfolk, officers highlighted cases of insecure loads where materials could freely fall from vehicles and cause a hazard on UK roads.
Meanwhile, a vehicle stopped on the M6 received an immediate prohibition and penalty for items obscuring the windscreen, plus a weight prohibition and additional penalty for being two tonnes overweight on the trailer. The vehicle was subsequently immobilised.
DVSA/X
|The DVSA enforcement team issued several penalties to vehicles last week
Elsewhere, joint operations between the DVSA and Greater Manchester Police in Openshaw resulted in 34 fixed penalty notices being issued alongside 14 vehicle prohibitions during a single day of checks.
The DVSA shared on X: "£2,020 given out in fines and immobilisations. Not one, but two vehicles in excess of 1000kg over gross weight!
"13 immediate prohibitions and eight delayed for various maintenance issues, heavy and dangerous vehicles taken off the road and advice and education given to many."
Under DVSA rules, drivers who receive fixed penalties have 28 days to either pay the fine or request a court hearing, which could result in higher penalties if found guilty.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Ignoring penalties can prove costly, as unpaid fines automatically transfer to courts after 28 days with a 50 per cent surcharge applied, with a £200 fine becoming £300, while drivers lose their right to contest the original charge.
The enforcement regime forms part of DVSA's broader road safety strategy, with penalties recorded against drivers' records and reported to Traffic Commissioners where operators' licences are involved.
Serious or repeated violations can trigger prosecutions rather than fixed penalties, particularly for overloads exceeding 30 per cent or five tonnes.
Overloading offences carry graduated penalties starting at £100 for vehicles exceeding weight limits by less than 10 per cent. The fine increases to £200 for overloads between 10 and 15 per cent, while those exceeding limits by 15 per cent or more face £300 penalties.
DVSA/X
|DVSA enforcement officers fined several vehicles for being overweight
For drivers who exceed the 4.5-hour driving limit, they receive fines based on how long they've continued beyond the threshold. Those driving less than an hour attract fines of over £100, extending to £200 for one to two hours and £300 for longer breaches.
Insecure loads represent another enforcement priority, with the DVSA stating that drivers have a responsibility to secure loads properly.
The DVSA shared: "In England, Wales and Scotland, section 75 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 allows an examiner to issue a conditional offer of a fixed penalty for alleged offences. DVSA will only issue conditional offers of a fixed penalty for offences detected in Scotland.
"The two legal regulations achieve the same thing: allowing the alleged offender to pay a fixed penalty rather than being taken to court. But, you can still choose to have it dealt with by a court."