Mark your calendar: Brake Safety Week is Aug. 23-29

Updated Jul 12, 2020
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When was the last time you or someone else checked the brakes on your truck?

You may wish to do that sooner than later as the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week will proceed as scheduled, Aug. 23-29.

Enforcement officials across the U.S. and Canada will inspect commercial motor vehicles throughout the week. Vehicles found to have critical out-of-service brake violations, or other violations will be restricted from traveling until those violations are corrected. Vehicles that pass eligible inspections may receive a passed-inspection CVSA decal.

During last year’s International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement initiative, brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for 45.1% of all out-of-service conditions. That’s more than any other vehicle violation category. And during last year’s Brake Safety Week, 13.5% of the commercial motor vehicles inspected had brake-related vehicle inspection item violations and were placed out of service.

Checking brake system components is always part of the roadside inspection process. However, inspectors will be paying special attention to brake hoses/tubing during this year’s Brake Safety Week to highlight the importance of those components to vehicle mechanical fitness and safety.

“Despite the pandemic, commercial motor vehicle safety inspectors continue to prioritize vehicle and driver safety by conducting inspections every day,” said CVSA President Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “Safety is always our top priority and it’s our mission to ensure the vehicles on our roadways have met all safety standards and regulations. This is especially important as we rally behind truck drivers as they transport essential goods during this public health crisis. We need to do everything we can to ensure that the vehicles truck drivers are driving are as safe as possible.”

Brake Safety Week is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake program, in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.