On Sunday, the Brake Safety Week enforcement blitz commences.

It runs from Sunday, Aug. 21, through Saturday, Aug. 27.

Enforcement officials will inspect commercial motor vehicles throughout the week. Vehicles found to have critical out-of-service brake violations or other critical vehicle out-of-service inspection item violations will be restricted from traveling until those violations are corrected.

Vehicles that pass eligible inspections may receive a passed-inspection CVSA decal.

During last year’s Brake Safety Week, more than 35,750 commercial motor vehicles were inspected. Nearly 90% of the vehicles inspected throughout North America did not have brake-related critical vehicle inspection item violations.

However, 12% of the inspected vehicles were placed out of service because of critical brake-related violations.

Inspectors will be paying special attention to brake hoses and tubing during this year’s Brake Safety Week, according to a CVSA news release.

Inspectors will look for missing, nonfunctioning, loose, contaminated or cracked parts on the brake system, and nonmanufactured holes (such as rust holes and holes created by rubbing or friction) and broken springs in the spring brake housing section of the parking brake. They will listen for audible air leaks around brake components and lines, and ensure the air system maintains air pressure between 90-100 psi.

Brake violations make up the largest chunk of all out-of-service violations, not just during Brake Safety Week, said Andy Malion, president of Toronto-based brake and maintenance product company Spectra Products and member of the CVSA Operation Airbrake Committee, during a recent Land Line Now broadcast.

Brake adjustment violations in the more recent International Roadcheck inspection blitz accounted for 38.9% of all out-of-service violations. That is more than any other category, he said.

“Brake adjustment is really what we want to concentrate on in the long run, because if your brakes aren’t adjusted properly, you’re not going to stop properly,” Malion said.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance organizes Brake Safety Week. It is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake program, in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. LL

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By Land Line Media | August 12

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