During the 2019 International Roadcheck Week performed by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), brake issues made up 45.1% of safety violations. In addition to that, 13.5% of commercial vehicles were rendered out of service in the 2019 Brake Safety Week.
Issues with braking are obviously a big deal. This year’s focus during Brake Safety Week will be on hoses and tubes.
Check All Connections
Making sure brake lines are secured properly to their corresponding parts and that clamps are without excessive wear is one item to check before each drive. A clamp that could give at any moment could result in a catastrophic accident. Attachments that are not tight and secure can result in air and fluid leaks, making brakes less efficient and potentially fail.
Hoses and Tubes
It is imperative that hoses and tubes remain pliable and without nicks, cracks, or leaks. Aging parts lose their flexibility and can degrade to the point of allowing fluids out and air in. Even a small leak will cause brakes to be mushy rather than responsive.
For a driver with a fully loaded trailer and maneuvering 80,000lbs, the importance of having the ability to stop unimpaired cannot be emphasized enough.
Check Fluid Levels
In every DOT pre-trip inspection, a driver should make sure all his fluid levels are full. Air brakes should be checked to make sure lines or cylinders are not leaking air pressure.
Service is Our Service
NTB Trucking has always made truck maintenance a top priority. When a driver performs their daily safety checks, it is important to get any parts that are showing wear repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Brakes are an integral part of the whole system that keeps goods moving, and stopping, so that the cycle of keeping stores stocked with goods goes unhindered.
NTB’s commitment to our drivers, to our customers, and to those we share the road with is to do our job safely. Keeping our trucks well maintained and in good working order is part of that promise.
Summary
So, as always, and especially as we near the end of Brake Safety Month and enter the law enforcement week where commercial vehicles will be subject to brake inspection, be sure to examine all brake hoses and tubes. Test the brake pedal for any changes that may have slowly occurred and previously gone unnoticed. It’s important to always stay ready—a second part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake Program is an unannounced one-day brake safety enforcement campaign sometime during the year.
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