Brake inspection campaign yields safety gains

Oct. 1, 2002
After a 12-hour brake inspection conducted September 5 in the United States and Canada, inspectors found fewer violations than were found the year before,

After a 12-hour brake inspection conducted September 5 in the United States and Canada, inspectors found fewer violations than were found the year before, according to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). Inspectors found that although an increase occurred in the number of participating jurisdictions and the number of inspections, there was a decrease in both the rate and severity of violations.

The annual brake inspection program is sponsored by CVSA and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators. Both brake adjustment violations and brake-related defects were down from the previous year:

  • Out-of-service violations for brake adjustments: 10.8% this year compared with 13.3% in 2001.

  • Out-of-service violations for brake-related defects: this year, 15.8% compared with 17.8% in 2001.

This year, 12,875 units were inspected by 46 member jurisdictions, while 11,390 were inspected by 41 jurisdictions in 2001.