Tips for Driving with a Full Load or Maximum Number of Passengers

There are times when your car is fully loaded with the maximum number of people it can seat or a huge and heavy cargo. It may seem easy to drive with a full load, but there are certain compromises and precautions that you should apply, especially if you have a vehicle that can seat 6 or more people. It's most likely that you've driven with full passengers and as for me I've experienced it a lot of times already. Let me share some of the things I do in order to have a safe and sound full-load driving experience.

Firstly, do not ever speed up unnecessarily if you have a lot of passengers on board. As you speed up, you must concentrate more. The entire weight of the vehicle including its load will take its toll on your brakes. What if you need to brake immediately? Your braking distance will most likely increase due to your load so make sure you adjust accordingly and give enough room in front of you to brake. It differs from car to car and from load to load. Use your best judgment on how much additional distance you would need.

Be careful when you navigate through corners. It may seem to be more stable since your center of gravity is much lower due to the added weight but it has a direct effect on the suspension. It may be hard to turn the wheel or if you're going too fast, the centrifugal force that it generates, mainly from the extra weight of your load, could possibly tip the car over. As you turn very quickly, the inner wheels (the ones inside and towards the corner. For example, if you're turning left, that would be the left set of wheels) may lose their grip.

Whether you are anticipating drive with full load or not, it's always better to have your suspension checked occasionally. See if your springs or torsion bars are adjusting properly and that it has enough room just in case you need to load something heavy or if you'll be accommodating lots of passengers. An underchassis exam will do followed by a road test.

Do not forget to check your tires as well. It should have good treads and ample air pressure to handle the weight. It is always best to refer to the car/tire manufacturer to obtain the optimal tire pressure on full load.

Focus on the road. Road hazards and obstructions are everywhere and if you hit them accidentally, it may affect your car's suspension. Since the suspension is receiving a lot of pressure, even small bumps may be felt by you and your passengers. That may lead to a very uncomfortable ride.

Sometimes, it is unavoidable that your car will be noisy especially if you have rowdy passengers. Keep your focus and don't talk to your passengers too much. It is perfectly fine to ask them to keep it down especially if you're driving at fairly high speeds on a freeway. It's for everyone's safety anyway.

So there you have it. You really can't be sure that you can drive as casually as when you have a full load compared to when you're just driving alone. Taking extra steps to ensure safety will go a very long way. Not only will you be arriving at your destination in one piece, you and your passengers will have a smooth and comfortable ride.

Sources:
Suspension (vehicle) - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_%28vehicle%29

Centrifugal force - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centrifugal_force