Loads, Roof Racks & Passengers

Whatever you put into, onto, or behind your car — shopping, camping gear, a bike, a roof box — the driver is the one responsible for making sure it's carried safely. That means three things: the car isn't carrying more weight than it's built for, the load is distributed and secured so nothing shifts or falls off, and nothing about the way it's loaded makes the car harder to control or a hazard to anyone else.

Every car has a maximum weight it's designed to carry safely, set by its manufacturer. Passengers, fuel, and everything in the boot or on the roof all count towards it. Push past that limit and the car's brakes, tyres, and suspension are all working outside the conditions they were designed for.

Inside the car, spread weight evenly rather than piling everything on one side or right at the back, and keep heavier items low down — high, top-heavy loads make the car more inclined to lean or roll in a bend. Secure everything so it can't slide, tip, or fly forward under heavy braking: straps, a boot net, or simply wedging items so they can't move are all better than leaving loose items free to travel the cabin.

If a load sticks out beyond the car's own bodywork — front, back, or side — it must be clearly marked so other road users can see exactly how far it extends, and lit if you're driving after dark. An overhanging load that isn't obvious is a hazard to cyclists, pedestrians, and following traffic alike.

Fitting a roof rack or roof box is one of the most common ways a car's handling gets changed without the driver fully expecting it. Because the extra weight (and the roof box itself) sits high above the car, it raises the car's overall centre of gravity — the point the whole car effectively balances around. A higher centre of gravity makes the car more inclined to lean or even risk rolling in a sharp bend or a sudden swerve, and it makes the car more sensitive to sidewinds, especially on exposed roads or motorway bridges.

A roof box or rack also adds wind resistance, which increases fuel consumption noticeably at higher speeds, and it adds height to the car — worth remembering at car park barriers, height-restricted bridges, and multi-storey car parks, where the extra centimetres are easy to forget about until you hear the scrape.

Every passenger old enough to fasten their own seatbelt is responsible for wearing it — that responsibility sits with the individual, not the driver, once someone is old enough to manage it themselves. Below that age, the responsibility shifts to you.

The driver is legally responsible for making sure any passenger under 14 is using a seatbelt or the correct child car seat for their height or weight. In general, a child needs a suitable child car seat until they are 12 years old or 135 cm tall, whichever comes first — after that, an adult seatbelt is normally fine, as long as it fits them properly.