Mark your calendars, because Brake Safety Week is next week from August 25 to 31, 2024! This annual event, spearheaded by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), is dedicated to enhancing road safety by focusing on the critical components of brake systems in large trucks and buses across North America.
Throughout Brake Safety Week, inspectors will conduct brake system inspections, primarily through Level IV Inspections, to identify any brake-system violations. This year's area of focus will be brake lining and pad violations.
While these inspections are a routine part of any commercial vehicle inspection, Brake Week helps get problematic vehicles off the roadways and emphasizes the significance of taking brake issues seriously. Faulty or underperforming brakes pose serious safety risks and lead to vehicle violations that may impact a motor carrier’s safety rating.
Did you know that brake-related concerns consistently rank among the top out-of-service violations? In 2023, six of the top 20 vehicle violations were related to brakes.
Last year's CVSA International Road Check further highlighted brake-system violations as the leading cause of their vehicle out-of-service incidents, comprising a significant 25.2% of all violations during that three-day campaign.
Disc brakes are notoriously difficult to check. The best practice is to check the rotor for rust, cracks, grooves, or gouges. Additionally, there should be a piece sticking out on the caliper with several stepped levels. Those stepped levels represent how much pad thickness remains. If you see that only the last level is visible, you have a brake pad concern.
While OOS and brake violations are the most costly concern, inspectors will also issue fines for other violations during Brake Safety Week. Save yourself and your company time and money by ensuring your entire vehicle is in good working order before hitting the road.
To assist you in navigating your brake inspections, here are some valuable resources:
Inspectors Airbrake Inspection Procedure: Understand the detailed steps inspectors follow during airbrake inspections.
Brake Inspection Checklist: Download a comprehensive checklist outlining the tools required for inspecting S-cam brakes, along with guidance on what to look for and how to measure pushrod stroke.
Brake Safety Week Flyer: Access a helpful flyer featuring 10 essential tips for maintaining brake linings and pads.
Focus Areas for Inspectors: Check out a cheat sheet that goes over the specific components of vehicles that inspectors tend to scrutinize during inspections.
As Brake Safety Week approaches, we encourage all drivers and carriers to prioritize safety and compliance. By proactively addressing brake system maintenance and inspection protocols, you enhance road safety and contribute to overall fleet efficiency and reliability. Best wishes for successful inspections and safe travels!