Alarming Brake Violations Found in Commercial Motor Vehicles During Recent Safety Inspection
On April 19th, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) carried out the Brake Safety Day, a comprehensive inspection initiative encompassing Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
A total of 6,829 commercial motor vehicles underwent thorough inspections on that day, aiming to ensure the safety and functionality of their brake systems.
Shocking Number of Brake Problems Uncovered
According to a recent press release, inspectors discovered critical brake-related issues in 11.3% of the vehicles examined. This alarming figure indicated that these vehicles were unsuitable and unsafe for road use. Consequently, the inspectors imposed travel restrictions on 773 commercial motor vehicles until the identified violations were rectified.
Throughout this unannounced inspection campaign, certified inspectors meticulously scrutinized both the vehicles and drivers as part of their routine procedures. They then reported the data concerning brake-related problems to the CVSA, providing a snapshot of the prevailing state of brake systems in commercial motor vehicles that traverse the roadways on a daily basis.
Among the identified brake-related out-of-service conditions, three issues stood out as the most prominent:
- Brake Violations: Accounting for 20% of the cases (479 vehicles), this violation category encompasses instances where a vehicle or combination of vehicles is deemed unfit for service due to the presence of out-of-service conditions in at least 20% of their service brakes. These conditions could include brake maladjustments, audible air leaks in the chamber, defective linings or pads, missing brakes where they are required, and similar deficiencies.
- Other Brake Violations: In this category, 368 cases were recorded, involving diverse out-of-service brake violations such as worn brake lines, broken brake drums, inoperative tractor protection systems, malfunctioning low air warning devices, air leaks, hydraulic fluid leaks, and other similar issues.
- Steering Brake Violations: Eighty-one cases fell into this category, which encompasses out-of-service violations concerning autonomous standalone steering axle brakes. Examples of these violations include inoperative brakes, mismatched brake chambers, mismatched slack adjuster lengths, defective linings, and other related problems.
Brakes a Problem for CMV’s All Over North America
CVSA’s membership comprises jurisdictions from Canada, Mexico, and the United States. All three countries actively participated in this year’s unannounced Brake Safety Day, with a total of 56 jurisdictions involved in the initiative.
In Canada, 10% of the 894 commercial motor vehicles inspected (88 vehicles) were flagged for brake-related violations and consequently placed out of service.
In Mexico, thirty-four commercial motor vehicles underwent inspections, and 18% (6 vehicles) were found to have brake-related out-of-service violations, leading to their placement out of service.
Within the United States, inspectors examined 5,901 commercial motor vehicles, of which 11.5% (679 vehicles) were identified as having brake-related violations and were consequently placed out of service.
Brake Lining and Pad Violations This Year’s Key Focus
CVSA officials emphasized that Brake Safety Day also serves as an opportunity to gather additional data regarding the condition and performance of brake systems in commercial motor vehicles. This year, particular attention was given to collecting data on brake lining and pad violations, as these conditions can result in violations and impact a motor carrier’s safety rating.
Out of the 6,829 commercial motor vehicles inspected during the campaign, inspectors identified 108 power unit and 87 towed unit lining/pad violations, totaling 195 combined lining/pad violations.
Additionally, eight CVSA member jurisdictions employed performance-based brake testers (PBBTs) to assess the braking efficiency of commercial motor vehicles on Brake Safety Day. These jurisdictions conducted a total of 92 inspections using PBBTs, resulting in four failures (4.35%). Consequently, the four commercial motor vehicles that failed the braking efficiency tests were placed out of service until the issues were rectified.
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