You only have a few days left to ensure your truck’s brakes are up to snuff as the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week begins Sunday, Sept. 15 and runs through Saturday, Sept. 21.
The CVSA says throughout the week, enforcement officials in the U.S. and Canada will conduct roadside safety inspections. Vehicles found to have critical brake problems, or other violations will be placed out of service until repairs are made. Vehicles with no violations are eligible to receive a CVSA decal indicating that the vehicle passed inspection.
During this Brake Safety Week, inspectors will pay special attention to brake hoses/tubing. To pass inspection, the CVSA says brake hoses/tubing must be properly attached, undamaged, without leaks and appropriately flexible.
Almost 5,000 commercial vehicles were placed out of service during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance‘s annual Brake Safety Week, last year at this time.
Some 35,080 inspections were conducted in 57 jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada and 4,955 (14.1 percent) of the vehicles inspected were placed out of service for brake problems, according to a statement from the CVSA.
Part of the last inspection blitz was a focus on antilock braking systems and how well they are maintained. The CVSA said:
- 26,143 air-braked power units required ABS and 2,176 (8.3 percent) had ABS violations.
- 17,857 trailers that were inspected required ABS, and 2,224 (12.5 percent) had ABS violations.
- 5,354 hydraulic-braked trucks required ABS, and 234 (4.4 percent) (234) ABS violations.
During last year’ Operation Roadcheck last June the top three out-of-service vehicle violations were for brake systems (28.4 percent), tires and wheels (19.1 percent) and brake adjustment (16.3 percent).