The National Transportation Safety Board recommends inspection of the system that assures an air supply for tractor brakes in case the connection with the trailer braking system fails. The independent board, which investigates causes of transportation accidents, said the protection valves and lines should be checked during vehicle inspections.
The board sent a letter Nov. 21 detailing the recommendation to American Trucking Associations President Walter B. McCormick and Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Executive Director Steve Campbell.
Inspectors should make sure air brakes for both tractors and trailers work properly in case of a broken air line or accidental separation of trailer and tractor, the letter states. Failures in brake protection systems occur mostly in dump trucks and straight trucks that have been fitted to tow trailers, according to NTSB.
NTSB’s recommendation result involving a dump truck and a bus. Investigators found that the dump truck had been retrofitted as a tow vehicle but that its tractor protection brake system had not been properly installed. The faulty brake line, however, did not contribute to the crash, investigators said.
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