Time is running out to prepare your commercial vehicles for Brake Safety Week.
Yes, you read that right: Brake Safety Week is once again nearly upon us. The annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)-sponsored event is scheduled for August 25–31, 2024.
Still, don't let the name fool you — this year's focus is on brake line/pad violations, but inspectors will be checking commercial motor vehicles on the road during the event (like the CVSA Roadcheck 2024 in May). Some inspectors may use performance-based brake testers (PBBT) to assess the braking performance of a vehicle.
Just making sure your fleet's brake systems are safe isn't enough. You also need to teach your drivers about the importance of brake system safety. You must make sure that you are compliant in all areas, or you could put yourself and your drivers at risk of fines or out-of-service orders.
Now that Brake Safety Week 2024 is exactly one month away, it's time to educate and protect your fleet.
What to Expect During Brake Safety Week
During Brake Safety Week, inspectors pull over commercial motor vehicles to conduct North American Standard Inspections. They hone in on brake systems and components, including the following:
- Mechanical components of air brakes and steering axle air brakes
- Brake adjustments
- Antilock braking systems
- Air loss rate
- Low air pressure warning devices
- Tractor protection systems
- Leaks or cracks in any system components
But more broadly, inspectors will also examine:
- Drivers’ licenses and medical examiner’s certificates
- Hours of service and record of duty status
- Evidence of drug or alcohol use or possession
- Seat belt use
- Vehicle inspection reports (if applicable)
- Cargo securement
- Other critical components, such as coupling devices; driveline/driveshaft; exhaust and fuel systems; frames; lighting devices; steering mechanisms; suspensions; tires, wheels, rims, and hubs.
Commercial vehicles found to have brake-related out-of-service violations — or other driver or vehicle violations — will be immediately pulled from the roadways and prohibited from operating until issues are corrected.
Vehicles that don’t have any critical violations, however, will receive a CVSA decal indicating that they passed the inspection.
The Importance of Brake Safety Week
Having reliable brakes not only keeps your fleet and drivers compliant and safe, but it also protects others on the road.
According to 2023 vehicle violation data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, six out of the top 20 vehicle violations were brake-related. Results of the CVSA Roadcheck 2023 showed that brake-system violations were the top vehicle violation, making up 25.2% of all vehicle out-of-service violations during the roadside inspection event.
Furthermore, according to the FMCSA:
- “Brake systems” were the third most cited vehicle-related factor in fatal commercial vehicle and passenger vehicle crashes. View other critical details on large truck and bus crash facts here.
- Brake-related violations accounted for five out of the top 20 vehicle violations in 2021.
How to Prepare for Brake Safety Week 2024
You don’t want to take any chances with your fleet’s brakes — the whole point of Brake Safety Week is to ensure that commercial motor vehicles are safe and in good working condition.
August has also been designated Brake Safety Awareness Month, meaning that law enforcement agencies will actively perform outreach, education, and awareness campaigns to educate drivers, carriers, mechanics, and others on the importance of proper brake maintenance, operation, and performance.
Now is the time to be proactive and protect your business. To avoid having any of your trucks pulled from the road, perform full inspections of your fleet. While this may seem like a significant, time-consuming task, it will pay off in the long run by keeping you in compliance and violation-free. Remember: You are ultimately responsible for any vehicle operating under your authority.
Just as importantly, you must ensure you are compliant in all other required areas to avoid fines and out-of-service orders. This includes everything from keeping your fleet's driver qualification files, CDLs, and medical certificates up to date, to performing and documenting required drug and alcohol tests and FMCSA Clearinghouse checks.
Foley's DOT compliance software, Dash, can help you out in all these areas. Schedule a free demo today to make your company's safety and compliance easier to manage!
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