How Drivers Add 200 Euro to their Grocery Shopping Bill

The design and dynamics of a vehicle are designed to offer optimum safety and security to vehicle occupants, and other road users, but those factors can easily be changed with simple acts that we don’t often realise, such as putting your shopping on the back seats of the car, which can land you with a 200 euro fine.

The reason is that, when driving, the load inside the vehicle must be placed in such a way that the different objects do not move, thus ensuring safe driving. In other words, everything in the vehicle, whether humans, or pets, or inanimate objects, must be secure.

Loose or loosely secured objects can be a serious hazard in the event of a collision, or even harsh braking, as they can be thrown forward. For example, at 50 km/h, if an object is thrown out, the force with which it would hit an occupant would be up to 40 times its weight.

This explains the importance of securing your load correctly when driving, not only when shopping but also when transporting any luggage or packages. The same applies to dogs, which, depending on their size, must travel restrained or in their corresponding carrier, placed on the floor of the vehicle and, if larger, in the boot, always properly secured.

Failure to properly secure a load is considered a serious offence as it can compromise safety while driving. This action is therefore punishable by a fine of 200 euro.