WASHINGTON, D.C. – A total of 13.2% of inspections conducted during Operation Airbrake resulted in vehicles being placed out of service due to brake violations, while another 14.8% were sidelined for non-brake related violations.

A total of 18,385 inspections were conducted in the US and Canada during Brake Safety Week, Sept. 11-17. Inspectors were also looking for anti-lock braking system (ABS) malfunction light indicator lamps that were not compliant with jurisdictional regulations.

An ABS survey found that: 93.2% percent of air-braked trucks (including tractors) inspected and 90.4% of hydraulic-braked trucks inspected required ABS, based on their date of manufacture; 89.4% of air-braked trailers inspected required ABS, based on their date of manufacture; and 8.8% of ABS-required, air-braked trucks and 8.8% of ABS-required, hydraulic-braked trucks were found with ABS violations.

Additionally, 15.8% of trailers requiring ABS were found with ABS violations.

“Brakes must be routinely checked and properly maintained to ensure the safety of the commercial motor vehicle, the CMV driver and everyone else on the road,” said Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) president Julius Debuschewitz of Yukon Highways and Public Works. “Although brake inspections are a part of the Level I inspections conducted by our hard-working CMV inspectors every day, Brake Safety Week is an opportunity to remind motor carriers and drivers of the importance of brake health and safety, and it provides the opportunity for our inspectors to conduct targeted and focused inspections to identify and remove commercial motor vehicles that have brakes with critical violations from our roadways.”