Operating a commercial vehicle comes with a lot of responsibilities as well as opportunities. It can be a great way to start a business, but you need to make sure you are following all the rules.
Before you start driving a van and using it for work read this quick guide to what you need to know about driving a van.
Van Insurance Is Different To Car Insurance
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When you are operating a van or a commercial vehicle of any kind you will need some extra insurance coverage. Vans are very different to cars, and the risks and costs make insurance premiums cost a little more than you may to used to for your private vehicle.
If you just need to borrow a van for a house move or bring home a large purchase, the good news is that you can simply purchase temporary van insurance. This will also protect the no claim’s history of the van owner should you have a mishap in transit. The duration can range from 24 hour van insurance to a few days or even longer. Eamonn Turley from Multi Quote Time advises that temp van insurance can also be sued for business use, but not for hire and reward.
To help keep the costs down you can compare van insurance policies just like you can with car or home insurance. This lets you find a better deal than you may be offered by your existing insurer. CompareNI lets you compare van insurance from a huge range of supplies and it takes just a few minutes to get your quotes.
Make Sure You Are Licenced To Drive Your Van
Many people make the mistake of thinking that their driving licence allows them to drive any van too. Though full UK driving licences do allow you to drive commercial vehicles there are some restrictions, and the type of van you drive may not be covered under a standard driving licence because of size, weight, or how it is used.
Before you commit to buying a van make sure you have the licence, you need to drive it. You may need to add higher categories to your driving licence if it weighs more than 3500kg or you intend to pull a trailer behind it.
Commercial Vehicles Can Be ‘Spot Checked’
This is true of every vehicle, but spot checks on cars by the police are usually because they have seen something unsafe or illegal on a car. Commercial vehicles are can be spot checked routinely by police to help maintain road safety and awareness.
More than 10,000 commercial vehicles a year are stopped by the police for a spot check, and one of them could be you. If your vehicle is overloaded you can be fined and made to unload your van until a safe weight is reached.
Overloaded Vans Are Dangerous
It can be tempting to fill up your van as much as possible with tools and supplies to take to a work site. If you are using your van to move people and their belongings from house to house you may want to cram as much stuff as you can into your van.
This can be very dangerous and change the handling characteristics and braking efficiency of your commercial vehicle, leading to accidents. You can also be fined for overloading your van and may even be summoned to appear in court if the weight at your axle is 30% over your van’s weight limit.
Operating a commercial vehicle can be a great way to start a small business and become financially independent, but it does come with some start-up costs. The most important thing to do is to make sure you are fully licenced and insured before you begin driving and follow the rules on weight limits when you are on the road.
