Get ready truckers! Brake Safety Week is September 6-12!
During this week, CVSA-certified motor vehicle safety inspectors across North America will be checking brake systems on trucks and buses. To avoid being placed out of service, it’s important to be prepared and make sure your equipment is working properly. With our tips and a little preparation, you can survive Brake Safety Week!
What is Brake Safety Week?
This annual inspection is part of the Operation Airbrake program, sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) with the FMCSA. The goal is to educate drivers and technicians on brake safety, encourage brake safety compliance, improve commercial vehicle brake safety, reduce brake violations and increase driver and public safety.
Create your own user feedback survey
During Brake Safety Week, the CVSA conducts roadside inspections to educate drivers, mechanics and the public on the importance of proper brake inspection, maintenance and operation to help reduce the number of highway crashes caused by faulty braking systems.
Results of Brake Safety Week 2014
- 13,305 vehicles were inspected
- 1,388 (10.4%) were placed out of service for brake adjustment
- 1,244 (9.3%) were placed out of service for brake components
- 2,162 (16.2%) were placed out of service for brakes overall
What are inspectors looking for?
During this week, local, state, and other federal motor carrier safety officials in North America will run Level IV brake system inspections. Level IV inspections are a one-time check of a particular item, in this case brakes.
Inspectors will be looking for:
- loose or missing parts
- air or hydraulic fluid leaks
- worn linings, pads, drums or rotors
- other faulty brake-system components
- anti-lock braking systems (ABS) indicator lights
Get prepared!
To make sure you’re ready for the inspection:
- Have your driver’s license, registration and all paperwork with you
- Run regularly scheduled preventative maintenance
- Do a pre-trip brake inspection to test for leaks
- Examine brake shoes
- Measure chamber stroke
- Listen for air leaks
- Check low air signals
- Look for any damage
- Walk around your truck and look for loose hoses and leaks
- Check air disc brake rotors for cracks
- Inspect brake linings for thickness, cracks, and wear
Visit CVSA.org for more tips on how to inspect your brakes. You can pass these tips, checklists, and how-to guides to your drivers.
Do you need to make truck repairs before Brake Safety Week? Repairs can be expensive and time consuming, so let us help your manage your cash flow. When you factor freight invoices with Apex, you can get paid in as little as a few hours! Call us today at 855-369-2739.