53Vehicle with pneumatic tyres

53 Vehicle with pneumatic tyres (1) Subject to section 57, a person shall not drive, or cause or permit to be driven, a vehicle to all of the wheels of which pneumatic tyres are fitted: (a) if the load on an axle of the vehicle exceeds 9 tonnes; (b) if the load on a wheel of the vehicle exceeds 4.5 tonnes; (c) if the load on a tyre of the vehicle exceeds 2.7 tonnes; (d) if the load on a bogie axle of the vehicle exceeds 16 tonnes; or (e) if the aggregate of the load on each of any 2 axles, and of each intervening axle, if any, of the vehicle or the vehicle combination exceeds: (i) where the distance between the centres of those first- mentioned axles is not less than one metre but does not exceed 3 metres – 16 tonnes; (ii) where the distance between the centres of those first- mentioned axles exceeds 3 metres but does not exceed 3.5 metres – 19.4 tonnes; (iii) where the distance between the centres of those first- mentioned axles exceeds 3.5 metres but does not exceed 4 metres – 21 tonnes; Motor Vehicles Act 1949 63 (iv) where the distance between the centres of those first- mentioned axles exceeds 4 metres but does not exceed 4.5 metres – 22.3 tonnes; or (v) where the distance between the centres of those first- mentioned axles exceeds 4.5 metres – 22.3 tonnes plus 1.15 tonnes for each half metre or part of a half metre by which that distance exceeds 4.5 metres. Maximum penalty: 8 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months. (2) In this section, vehicle combination means a combination of a motor vehicle or prime mover and a trailer or trailers attached to the motor vehicle or prime mover, as the case may be. (3) It shall be a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1) if the person charged with the offence proves to the satisfaction of the court hearing the charge that he made or caused to be made reasonable efforts to comply with the requirements of that subsection and that the respective load limits specified in that subsection have not been exceeded by more than 10% of such limits. Division 3 Use of trailers