“CVSA Conducts Unannounced Brake Safety Day Across North America”
On April 19, 2023, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) inspected 6,829 commercial motor vehicles throughout Canada, Mexico and the U.S. as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Brake Safety Day.
Inspectors found brake-related critical vehicle inspection items on 11.3% of the vehicles inspected, indicating those vehicles were unfit and unsafe for roadways. As a result, inspectors restricted those 773 commercial motor vehicles from travel until the violations were corrected.
This was a one-day unannounced inspection and enforcement campaign. Certified commercial motor vehicle inspectors conducted their usual vehicle and driver inspections. They reported brake-related data to CVSA for a one-day snapshot of the state of brake systems on the commercial motor vehicles travelling the roadways every day.
CVSA’s membership included the jurisdictions in Canada, Mexico and the U.S. All three countries participated in this unannounced Brake Safety Day.
Canada came out on top. But still, there was a large number of out-of-service inspections.
Canada – Ten per cent (88 vehicles) of the 894 total commercial motor vehicles inspected were placed out of service for brake-related violations.
Mexico – Thirty-four commercial motor vehicles were inspected. Six (18%) had brake- related out-of-service violations and were placed out of service.
United States – Inspectors placed 679 (11.5%) of the 5,901 total commercial motor vehicles inspected out of service for brake-related violations.
The top three brake-related out-of-service conditions were:
20% Brakes Violations – 479. A vehicle or combination of vehicles is declared out of service when 20% or more of its service brakes have an out-of-service condition resulting in a defective brake, such as a brake out of adjustment, an audible air leak at the chamber, defective linings/pads, a missing brake where brakes are required, etc.
Other Brake Violations – 368. Examples of other out-of-service brake violations are worn brake lines, broken brake drums, inoperative tractor protection systems, inoperative low air warning devices, air leaks, hydraulic fluid leaks, etc.
Steering Brake Violations – 81. Examples of automatic standalone out-of-service steering axle brake violations are inoperative brakes, mismatched brake chambers, mismatched slack adjuster length, defective linings, etc.
CVSA’s Brake Safety Day provides an opportunity to gather data related to the health and wellness of commercial motor vehicle brake systems. CVSA focused on capturing data on brake lining/pad violations. Brake lining/pad conditions can result in violations, which can affect a motor carrier’s safety rating.
During the announced and unannounced brake safety enforcement campaigns, commercial motor vehicle inspectors conduct commercial motor vehicle inspections (primarily Level I and V Inspections) on large trucks and buses across the three countries to identify brake-system violations.
This program aims to reduce the number of highway crashes caused by faulty braking systems on commercial motor vehicles by conducting roadside inspections and educating drivers, mechanics, owner-operators and others on the importance of proper brake inspection, maintenance and operation.
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