It’s that time of the year again. Brake Safety Week is just around the corner and it’s time for your trucking business to prepare.

This year’s Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) blitz is scheduled to take place from August 22-28, 2021. Throughout the week, inspectors will be focusing on vehicle brake systems, while also compiling data on brake hoses/tubing.

Hoses and tubing are important cogs in the makeup of a CMV, as they can lead to an imbalance in the hydraulic brake system if they fail. Brake hoses are generally aggravated by the stress of driving in tough environments, which big rigs can be subject to. 

“Brake hoses and tubing are essential brake system components and must be properly attached, undamaged, without leaks and flexible,” said Sgt. Samis. “We chose to focus on brake hoses/tubing this year in an effort to reduce deaths and injuries as a result of commercial motor vehicle brake-system failures from pressure or vacuum loss due to brake hose/tubing deficiencies.”

The CVSA has also cited the following as reasons for conducting the blitz.

“Jurisdictions devote a week to conducting commercial motor vehicle inspections, identifying brake violations and removing vehicles with out-of-service brake violations because:

  • Brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for more vehicle violations than any other vehicle violation category, accounting for 38.6% of all vehicle out-of-service conditions, during last year’s three-day International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement initiative.
  • “Brake system” was the third most cited vehicle-related factor in fatal commercial motor vehicle and passenger vehicle crashes, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) latest “Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts” report.
  • Brake-related violations accounted for eight out of the top 20 vehicle violations in 2020, according to FMCSA’s Motor Carrier Management Information System.
  • During last year’s Brake Safety Week, 12% of the 43,565 commercial motor vehicles inspected were placed out of service for brake-related violations.”

Additionally, the CVSA also conducted an impromptu inspection blitz called Brake Safety Day on May 26, 2021.

Over 10,000 inspections were conducted, resulting in over 1,200 vehicles being placed out of service. 

When it came to brake hoses/tubing, which will also be a point of emphasis throughout Brake Safety Week, over 1,700 violations were reported.

To avoid receiving a violation or being placed out of service, trucking businesses should begin inspecting their vehicles and making necessary changes as soon as possible.

For more information on Brake Safety Week, you can visit the CVSA website here.