Get Your Driver's Ready For Brake Safety Week
As we gear up for the upcoming Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week from August 25-31, it’s essential to highlight the significance of properly functioning brake systems in commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Brake Safety Week aims to ensure the safety of our roadways by identifying and addressing critical brake violations, ultimately contributing to a safer driving environment for everyone. Let’s delve into the details and understand the importance of this initiative in our latest safety bulletin.
Mark your calendars for the upcoming Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Brake Safety Week from August 25-31. During this period, CVSA-certified enforcement personnel will work hard to ensure commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) have properly functioning brake systems. It’s all about making our roadways safer by identifying and removing CMVs with critical brake violations and highlighting the importance of maintaining top-notch brake systems. Remember, well-maintained brakes are vital for the safe operation of CMVs. Let’s all work together to keep our roads safe for everyone!
Data and Research
- According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Large Truck Crash Causation (LTCC) Study, 32.7 percent of large trucks with pre-crash violations had brake problems.
- Brake-related violations comprised the most significant percentage of out-of-service vehicle violations (25.2%) cited during last year’s Roadcheck America.
- The LTCC Study’s relative risk analysis indicated that large trucks involved in a crash where the braking capacity of the truck was critical were 50 percent more likely to have a brake violation than trucks involved in crashes where the truck’s braking capacity was not critical.
- According to the LTCC Study, of the trucks involved in brake-critical crashes, 45.5 percent had brake violations, compared with 29.9 percent of trucks involved in crashes of the same type where braking was not a relevant factor.
Brake Safety Week is a campaign aimed at reducing the incidence of accidents caused by poorly maintained braking systems on commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). This is achieved through roadside mechanical fitness inspections that remove dangerous vehicles from our roads.
In conjunction with the inspections and enforcement activities, law enforcement agencies will engage in outreach efforts to educate drivers, mechanics, owner-operators, and other relevant parties about the importance of proper brake maintenance, operation, and performance. These educational efforts are crucial to the success of the safety initiative.
During Brake Safety Week, inspectors will primarily carry out the North American Standard Level I Inspection. This comprehensive 37-step procedure includes an examination of driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness. The inspections will cover various brake system components to identify issues such as loose or missing parts, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, defective rotor conditions, pushrod travel measurements, mismatched air chamber sizes across axles, air reservoir integrity and mounting, worn linings, pads, drums, or rotors, required brake-system warning devices, and other brake-system components. Vehicles found to have defective or out-of-adjustment brakes will be placed out of service.
Furthermore, in the 12 jurisdictions utilizing performance-based brake testing (PBBT) equipment, vehicle braking efficiency will be measured. PBBTs can measure the cumulative brake force for the entire vehicle and then divide it by the total vehicle weight to determine the overall vehicle braking efficiency. The minimum braking efficiency for trucks is 43.5 percent, as mandated by 393.52 of the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and the CVSA North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria.
It’s noteworthy that Brake Safety Week is part of the Operation Airbrake Program, which is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) in collaboration with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
What You May Not Know About Brake System and Inspections
Automatic brake adjusters are required
How to verify that your ABS is working
What is the proper method for a driver to adjust brakes with a unit with automatic slack adjusters?
Answer:
The proper method to adjust brakes on a vehicle with automatic slack adjusters is to apply ten sharp brake applications daily and just prior to entry of a roadside inspection.
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is September 15-21, 2024
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the dedication and hard work of the 3.5 million professional truck drivers who ensure our goods are delivered safely and on time. National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a time to recognize the essential role they play in our lives. Their commitment and contributions deserve our gratitude.
Registration is Open Online for the 2024 Idealease/NPTC Safety Seminars!
Idealease and the National Private Truck Council NPTC will again be hosting safety seminars in 2024. The one-day seminar this year will focus on data available from trucks today with regards to safety, basic safety and compliance, regulation changes and CSA. The seminars and will be provided to all Idealease customers, potential customers and NPTC members at no charge. The seminar provides important information applicable for both the novice and experienced transportation professionals. Seminars currently available for registration have their venues secured. If you are not able to register for the seminar in your area, check back as registration availability will be added as the venues are secured. This information will be updated weekly in this bulletin. To register for an upcoming seminar in 2024 click on the following link: http://www.idealease.com/safety-seminar-registration
10/1/24: Eugene, OR
10/1/24:St. Louis, MO
10/3/24: San Leandro, CA
10/9/24: Baltimore, MD
10/16/24: Atlanta, GA
10/17/24: Nashville, TN
10/17/24: Charleston, WV
10/28/24: Stockton, CA
Do you have other employees that you want to receive the Idealease Weekly Safety Bulletin?
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Go to the following website to register your employees for the safety bulletin as well as view the archives of past bulletins: www.idealease.com/safety-bulletins
The Idealease Safety Bulletin is provided for Idealease locations and their customers and is not to be construed as a complete or exhaustive source of compliance or safety information. The Idealease Safety Bulletin is advisory in nature and does not warrant, guarantee, or otherwise certify compliance with laws, regulations, requirements, or guidelines of any local, state, or Federal agency and/or governing body, or industry standards.
*The Idealease Safety Bulletin is provided for Idealease locations and their customers and is not to be construed as a complete or exhaustive source of compliance or safety information. The Idealease Safety Bulletin is advisory in nature and does not warrant, guarantee, or otherwise certify compliance with laws, regulations, requirements, or guidelines of any local, state, or Federal agency and/or governing body, or industry standard.