More inspections uncovered fewer brake defects during Brake Safety Week this year.The number of vehicles inspected during Operation Air Brake’s Brake Safety Week reached a high this year while also showing a drop in the number of out-of-service defects for brake components and overall out-of-service defects, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance announced Oct. 15.
Overall, 30,472 vehicles were inspected, the record since the program started in 1998 and up from 26,630 inspections in 2009. Also, 2,717 vehicles were placed out of service for brake adjustments (8.9 percent in 2010, 9 percent in 2009); 2,435 vehicles were placed out of service for brake components (8 percent in 2010, 9.2 percent in 2009); and 4,117 vehicles were placed out for brakes (13.5 percent in 2010, 15.1 percent in 2009).
Brake Safety Week is a component of the Operation Air Brake campaign, an ongoing effort of an international truck and bus brake safety program dedicated to improving commercial vehicle brake safety throughout North America. Brake Safety Week took place Sept. 12-18 across North America.
“While enforcement is a major focus of Operation Air Brake, education also is critically important,” says Stephen Keppler, CVSA executive director. “CVSA recently completed a survey of 7,500 drivers during Brake Safety Week that showed us education remains a big issue. We use the information gathered from Operation Air Brake to really try to understand problem areas and assist industry in increasing their compliance to improve highway safety for them and the motoring public.”
The Operation Air Brake Campaign was developed and initiated by Canada in 1998.
