During the 17th annual Brake Safety Week, conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) from September 7-13, 2014, the more than 13,000 vehicles that had their brakes inspected showed that nearly one-sixth of them had been declared out of service (OOS) by inspectors.
The inspections, an attempt to engage the general public as well as enforce safety laws in the most effective manner possible, were done on trucks and buses across North America. They’re part of the CVSA Operation Air Brake program and work in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Their focus was on brake-system violations as well as out-of-adjustment brakes, since those can affect the stopping distance of any truck or bus.
Where They Were Done
Done on roadsides in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the inspections looked at brake-system components, checking the pads, rotors and drums, while also looking for any worn linings, loose or missing parts or leaking hydraulic fluid. In addition, the ABS (antilock braking system) malfunction indicator lamps were assessed, along with the measured pushrod stroke, if necessary.
The Results
In total, the CVSA looked at 13,305 vehicles and classified any issues into three categories: those vehicles that needed brake adjustment, ones that needed brake components, and one for overall brake problems. The overall number of vehicles inspected dropped by one-third as compared to 2013.
When it came to overall brake problems, 2,162 of those vehicles (16.2 percent) were tagged with OOS status. Percentages in all three categories were higher than those from the 2013 inspections, with all three increasing after seeing a drop the year before.
Those that received OOS notice for brake adjustment were 10.4 percent (1,388) of the overall group, while those assessed for components made up 9.3 percent (1,244).
Comparisons by Country
In comparing the numbers between the United States and Canada, our neighbors to the north traditionally have smaller numbers. The most prominent difference came with respect to brake adjustment violations, where only 4.6 percent of the Canadian drivers were flagged for any such issues.
William Reese, the president of the CVSA and a member of the Idaho State Police, said, “The ultimate goal of Brake Safety Week is to reduce the number of highway crashes caused by faulty braking systems on commercial vehicles.”
Stark Numbers
With respect to any Texas trucking accident, the state’s Department of Public Safety conducts a Road Check on commercial trucks. The results were disturbing, with 27 to 30 percent of the commercial trucks looked at should not be operating due to a variety of reasons, including defective brakes.
Getting Proper Justice
Given the numbers above, it’s clearly evident that the danger of driving on Texas roads with trucks that have braking problems remains a cause for great concern. Since trucking accident personal injury lawyers have the background to determine if any such accidents are the cause of negligence, it’s in the best interest of those drivers that have their vehicles damaged or are injured in any collision to contact them if they need assistance in pursuing any litigation.
The inspections, an attempt to engage the general public as well as enforce safety laws in the most effective manner possible, were done on trucks and buses across North America. They’re part of the CVSA Operation Air Brake program and work in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
Their focus was on brake-system violations as well as out-of-adjustment brakes, since those can affect the stopping distance of any truck or bus.
Where They Were Done
Done on roadsides in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the inspections looked at brake-system components, checking the pads, rotors and drums, while also looking for any worn linings, loose or missing parts or leaking hydraulic fluid. In addition, the ABS (antilock braking system) malfunction indicator lamps were assessed, along with the measured pushrod stroke, if necessary.
The Results
In total, the CVSA looked at 13,305 vehicles and classified any issues into three categories: those vehicles that needed brake adjustment, ones that needed brake components, and one for overall brake problems. The overall number of vehicles inspected dropped by one-third as compared to 2013.
When it came to overall brake problems, 2,162 of those vehicles (16.2 percent) were tagged with OOS status. Percentages in all three categories were higher than those from the 2013 inspections, with all three increasing after seeing a drop the year before.
Those that received OOS notice for brake adjustment were 10.4 percent (1,388) of the overall group, while those assessed for components made up 9.3 percent (1,244).
Comparisons by Country
In comparing the numbers between the United States and Canada, our neighbors to the north traditionally have smaller numbers. The most prominent difference came with respect to brake adjustment violations, where only 4.6 percent of the Canadian drivers were flagged for any such issues.
William Reese, the president of the CVSA and a member of the Idaho State Police, said, “The ultimate goal of Brake Safety Week is to reduce the number of highway crashes caused by faulty braking systems on commercial vehicles.”
Stark Numbers
With respect to any Texas trucking accident, the state’s Department of Public Safety conducts a Road Check on commercial trucks. The results were disturbing, with 27 to 30 percent of the commercial trucks looked at should not be operating due to a variety of reasons, including defective brakes.
Getting Proper Justice
Given the numbers above, it’s clearly evident that the danger of driving on Texas roads with trucks that have braking problems remains a cause for great concern. Since trucking accident personal injury lawyers have the background to determine if any such accidents are the cause of negligence, it’s in the best interest of those drivers that have their vehicles damaged or are injured in any collision to contact them if they need assistance in pursuing any litigation.