Law enforcement personnel in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. will conduct commercial motor vehicle inspections, educate drivers and motor carriers about the importance of brake safety, and provide brake inspection and violation data to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) for this year’s Brake Safety Week, scheduled for Aug. 24-30.
Note: CVSA also offers resources to help drivers, motor carriers, owner-operators and mechanics prepare for Brake Safety Week.
CVSA-certified inspectors will carry out routine inspections of commercial motor vehicles throughout the week, with a particular focus on brake systems and components. This year’s brake-safety initiative places additional emphasis on drums and rotors. Problems with brake drums and rotors can reduce a vehicle’s braking effectiveness. Detached fragments of drums or rotors may fall from vehicles during travel, potentially causing damage to other vehicles or leading to injuries or fatalities among the driving public.
Commercial motor vehicles identified with brake-related out-of-service violations, or any other out-of-service violations, will be taken off the road until those violations are resolved.
Throughout Brake Safety Week, inspectors will record information related to commercial motor vehicle inspections, brake systems and components, and brake-related violations, and submit that data to CVSA. In some areas, inspectors will utilize performance-based brake testers (PBBT) to measure vehicle braking performance, and will provide PBBT-specific data to the Alliance. CVSA will compile, examine, and release the findings publicly later this year.
Brake Safety Week aims to improve commercial motor vehicle brake safety across North America by conducting roadside inspections and raising awareness among drivers, mechanics, fleet operators, and owner-operators about proper brake inspection, maintenance, and operation to help prevent crashes.