GREENBELT, Md. – A total of 12 percent, or 1,146, of the more than 9,500 commercial vehicles inspected during Brake Safety Day were placed out of service for brake-related violations, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance reported.
Another 21 percent, or 1,989, were placed out of service for violations of any kind during the CVSA event, held May 3 throughout North America.
Enforcement personnel conducted inspections on large trucks and buses to identify out-of-adjustment brakes and brake-system and antilock braking system violations during the event, which is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake Program.
The goal of Brake Safety Day was to conduct roadside inspections and identify and remove vehicles with critical brake violations from roadways in an effort to reduce the number of crashes caused or made more severe by poorly maintained braking systems on commercial motor vehicles.
The event also sought to evaluate how well ABS are maintained in accordance with federal regulations.
Inspection data from the unannounced one-day brake safety enforcement initiative featured the following notable results:
- A total of 43 jurisdictions participated – 33 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces/territories.
- The United States conducted 8,140 commercial motor vehicle inspections; Canada conducted 1,384.
- In all, 9,524 inspections were conducted as part of Brake Safety Day.
- 79 percent of the vehicles inspected did not have any critical item vehicle violations.
- 21 percent (1,989) of all inspections conducted resulted in a vehicle being placed out of service for vehicle violations of any kind.
- 12 percent (1,146) of all inspections conducted resulted in a vehicle being placed out of service for brake-related violations.
Many participating jurisdictions were able to survey ABS compliance, as follows:
- 4,635 air-braked trucks and tractors were identified as requiring ABS; 8 percent (391) had ABS violations.
- 3,222 trailers were identified as requiring ABS; 15 percent (487) had ABS violations.
- 723 hydraulic-braked trucks required ABS; 6 percent (41) had ABS violations.
- 57 buses required ABS; 11 percent (6) had ABS violations.
Brake Safety Day aims to improve commercial motor vehicle brake safety awareness throughout North America. Brake-related violations account for the largest percentage of all out-of-service violations cited during roadside inspections.
Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capability and increase stopping distances of trucks and buses, which pose a serious risk to driver and public safety.
CVSA’s Operation Airbrake Program is holding one more brake safety enforcement event this year.
The next Brake Safety Day event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 7, at participating jurisdictions throughout Canada, Mexico and the United States. The one-day event will replace the seven-day Brake Safety Week campaign from previous years.
The Operation Airbrake Program is sponsored by CVSA in partnership with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998.
