Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance Releases 2014 Brake Safety Week Inspection Results
Greenbelt, MD (PRWEB) January 05, 2015 -- CVSA-certified commercial motor vehicle safety inspectors conducted 13,305 brake system inspections on trucks and buses throughout North America during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual Brake Safety Week, Sept. 7-13, 2014.
During the week-long brake safety campaign, local, state, provincial, territorial and federal motor carrier safety officials throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico conducted roadside inspections to identify out-of-adjustment brakes and brake-system violations. Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capacity and stopping distance of trucks and buses, which poses a serious risk to driver and public safety.
“The ultimate goal of Brake Safety Week is to reduce the number of highway crashes caused by faulty braking systems on commercial vehicles,” said CVSA President Capt. William Reese of the Idaho State Police. “We strive to reach that goal by conducting roadside inspections and educating drivers, mechanics, motor carriers and others on the importance of proper brake inspection, maintenance and operation.”
Roadside inspections conducted during Brake Safety Week included the inspection of brake-system components to identify loose or missing parts, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, worn linings, pads, drums or rotors, and other faulty brake-system components. Antilock braking systems (ABS) malfunction indicator lamps also were checked. Inspectors inspected brake components and measured pushrod stroke when appropriate.
This year, inspectors from participating agencies inspected 13,305 vehicles during Brake Safety Week and placed 2,162 commercial vehicles out of service (OOS) for brake violations. Of the vehicles inspected, the OOS rate for all brake-related violations conducted in North America was 16.2 percent, compared with 13.5 percent for the 2013 event. The OOS rate for brake adjustment rose to 10.4 percent from 9.0 percent in 2013. The OOS rate for brake components was 9.3 percent, up from 7.1 percent in 2013.
Out-of-service rates for Canadian jurisdictions are historically lower than those in U.S. jurisdictions. This can be seen again this year with the OOS rates for: brake adjustment violations (10.8 percent in the U.S. versus 4.6 percent in Canada; 10.4 percent combined), brake component violations (9.5 percent in the U.S. versus 6.8 percent in Canada; 9.3 percent combined), and total brake violations (16.6 percent in the U.S. versus 11.0 percent in Canada; 16.2 percent combined).
2014 Brake Safety Week Results:
- 13,305 vehicles were inspected (20,067 inspected in 2013)
- 1,388 or 10.4 percent of vehicles were placed OOS for brake adjustment (9.0 in 2013, 9.4 percent in 2012, 8.4 percent in 2011)
- 1,244 or 9.3 percent of vehicles were placed OOS for brake components (7.1 percent in 2013, 7.8 percent in 2012, 7.9 percent in 2011)
- 2,162 or 16.2 percent of vehicles were placed OOS for brakes overall (13.5 percent in 2013, 15.3 percent in 2012, 14.2 percent in 2011)
“Whether you are behind the wheel of a big rig, intercity bus or family car, safe and reliable brakes are fundamental to protecting everyone on our roads,” said FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darling. “Each year, the Brake Safety Week inspection blitz reinforces that commercial drivers and companies are responsible for ensuring that their vehicles are well maintained and in safe working condition at all times.”
Brake Safety Week is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake program sponsored by CVSA and in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected during Operation Air Brake since the program’s inception in 1998. Learn more about Operation Airbrake and Brake Safety Week at http://www.operationairbrake.com.
CVSA members conduct approximately 4 million driver and vehicle roadside safety inspections each year throughout North America. These inspections are a critical component in helping ensure our highways are a safe place to travel for all motorists.
About CVSA
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is an international not-for-profit organization comprised of local, state, provincial, territorial and federal motor carrier safety officials and industry representatives from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Its mission is to promote commercial motor vehicle safety and security by providing leadership to enforcement, industry and policy makers. The Alliance actively monitors, evaluates and identifies solutions to potentially unsafe transportation processes and procedures related to driver and vehicle safety requirements most often associated with commercial motor vehicle crashes. In addition, CVSA has several hundred associate members who are committed to helping the Alliance achieve its goals: uniformity, compatibility and reciprocity of commercial vehicle inspections, and enforcement activities throughout North America by individuals dedicated to highway safety and security. For more information, visit http://www.cvsa.org.
Steve Keppler, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, http://www.cvsa.org, +1 301-830-6145, [email protected]
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