Almost 3,900 trucks in U.S. placed out of service during Brake Week inspections

A total of 28,694 commercial motor vehicles were inspected in the U.S. during a recent week-long enforcement effort focused on brake safety, and 3,874 trucks (13.5%) were placed out of service.

Some 35,764 commercial vehicles were inspected in the U.S., Canada and Mexico during this year's Brake Safety Week organized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. The inspection blitz was held Aug. 22-28.

In Canada, 1,903 commercial motor vehicles were inspected with a brake-related out-of-service rate of 15.4% (293 trucks). In Mexico, 5,167 inspections were conducted with a brake-specific out-of-service rate of 2.6% (134 trucks).

In all, 12% of the commercial motor vehicles inspected across North America were placed out of service because of brake issues, according to a recap by CVSA.

Also during Brake Safety Week, inspectors in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. recorded 5,667 brake hose chafing violations, which are common brake-related violations, whether out-of-service or not. Inspectors reported brake hose chafing violations in five different categories, illustrating levels of chafing severity, including two which are out-of-service conditions, and submitted that data to CVSA.

Brake-related violations accounted for eight out of the top 20 vehicle violations in 2020, according to the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s data. And brake system and brake adjustment violations accounted for more out-of-service vehicle conditions than any other vehicle violation during CVSA’s three-day International Roadcheck inspection and enforcement initiative in May.

Every year, for Brake Safety Week, law enforcement jurisdictions with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance conduct inspections at fixed weigh stations, temporary pop-up inspection sites, and during roving roadway patrols, paying special attention to brake components and systems.