Commercial vehicle inspectors will be out in force beginning Sept. 11 to conduct brake system inspections on large trucks and buses throughout North America.
The inspections will be part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s “Brake Safety Week” Sept. 11-17, according to CVSA.
The annual outreach and enforcement campaign is designed to improve commercial motor vehicle brake safety throughout North America by identifying out-of-adjustment brakes and brake-system and anti-lock braking systems.
“Properly functioning brake systems are crucial to safe CMV operation,” CVSA said a statement. “CMV brakes are designed to hold up under tough conditions, but they must be routinely inspected and maintained carefully and consistently so they operate and perform properly throughout the vehicle’s life.”
CVSA said that improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce braking efficiency and increase the stopping distance of trucks and buses, posing serious risks to driver and public safety.
Inspections conducted during Brake Safety Week will include checks of brake-system components to identify loose or missing parts, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, worn linings, pads, drums or rotors and other faulty brake-system components. Automatic Brake System malfunction indicator lamps will be checked. Inspectors also will inspect brake components and measure pushrod stroke where applicable. Defective or out-of-adjustment brakes will result in the vehicle being placed out of service, CVSA said.
More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998.
The out-of-service rate during Brake Safety Week last year was 12.3%, a decline from 16.2% the prior year.
Of the 18,817 vehicles inspected in 2015, there were 2,321 vehicles placed out of service for brake violations in the U.S. and Canada.
