Nearly 2,400 trucks were placed out-of-service for brake violations and nearly 2,700 trucks were placed out-of-service for non-brake-related violation during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Brake Safety Week, held Sept. 11-17.
CVSA says inspectors conducted 18,057 inspections of trucks during the week to identify out-of-adjustment brakes and other brake system violations. Inspectors looked over brake system components to identify loose or missing parts; air or hydraulic fluid leaks; cracked, damaged or worn linings, pads, drums or rotors; and other faulty brake system components. Anti-lock braking system malfunction indicator lamps were also checked for compliance by inspectors during the week.
Of the trucks inspected during Brake Safety Week, 8.8 percent (or 1,481) of ABS-required, air-braked trucks were found to have ABS violations, and 8.8 percent (or 1,436) of ABS-required, hydraulic-braked trucks were found with ABS violations.
CVSA adds that 15.8 percent of trailers inspected during the week-long event were found with ABS violations.
“Brakes must be routinely checked and properly maintained to ensure the safety of the commercial motor vehicle, the CMV driver and everyone else on the road,” said CVSA President Julius Debuschewitz of Yukon Highways and Public Works. “Although brake inspections are a part of the Level I inspections conducted by our hard-working CMV inspectors every day, Brake Safety Week is an opportunity to remind motor carriers and drivers of the importance of brake health and safety, and it provides the opportunity for our inspectors to conduct targeted and focused inspections to identify and remove commercial motor vehicles that have brakes with critical violations from our roadways.”
During CVSA’s annual Roadcheck inspection blitz in June, brake violations led the way in vehicle out-of-service orders, making up nearly half of all out-of-service orders issued during the three-day event.
