Brake Safety Week Set for Late August 2020

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week will proceed as scheduled, Aug. 23-29. Enforcement officials will inspect commercial motor vehicles throughout the week and 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.

Checking brake system components is always part of the roadside inspection process; however, inspectors will be paying special attention to brake hoses/tubing during this year’s Brake Safety Week to highlight the importance of those components to vehicle mechanical fitness and safety.

The brake systems on commercial motor vehicles are comprised of components that work together to slow and stop the vehicle, and brake hoses/tubing are essential for the proper operation of those systems. Brake hoses/tubing must be properly attached, undamaged, without leaks, and appropriately flexible. Brake hoses/tubing are an important part of the braking system so when they do fail, they can cause problems for the entire braking system.

During last year’s International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement initiative, brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for 45.1% of all out-of-service conditions, more than any other vehicle violation category. Brake Safety Week 2019 found 13.5% of the commercial motor vehicles inspected had brake-related vehicle inspection item violations and were placed out of service.

Brake Safety Week is part of law enforcement’s effort to reduce brake-related crashes by conducting roadside inspections and identifying and removing unsafe commercial motor vehicles from roadways.

“Despite the pandemic, commercial motor vehicle safety inspectors continue to prioritize vehicle and driver safety by conducting inspections every day,” said CVSA president Sgt. John Samis with the Delaware State Police. “Safety is always our top priority and it’s our mission to ensure the vehicles on our roadways have met all safety standards and regulations. This is especially important as we rally behind truck drivers as they transport essential goods during this public health crisis. We need to do everything we can to ensure that the vehicles truck drivers are driving are as safe as possible.”

In addition to CVSA’s Brake Safety Week, August is also Brake Safety Awareness Month. Along with inspections and enforcement, law enforcement agencies also engage in outreach and awareness efforts to educate drivers, motor carriers, mechanics, owner-operators, and others on the importance of proper brake maintenance, operation, and performance.

“Brakes are one of the most important systems in a vehicle,” added Sgt. Samis. “Failure of any component of a brake system could be catastrophic. Routine brake system inspections and component replacement are vital to the safety of commercial motor vehicles.”

Brake Safety Week 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.

SOURCE: The Weekly Propane Newsletter, July 16, 2020. Weekly Propane Newsletter subscribers receive all the latest posted and spot prices from major terminals and refineries around the U.S. delivered to inboxes every week. Receive a center spread of posted prices with hundreds of postings updated each week, along with market analysis, insightful commentary, and much more not found elsewhere.