This year’s Brake Safety Week is scheduled for Aug. 20-26 with a focus on brake lining/brake pad violations. Throughout the week, inspectors will conduct North American Standard Inspections on commercial motor vehicles. Any vehicles found with brake-related out-of-service violations will be taken off the road until the violations are corrected.
During Brake Safety Week 2022, more than 34,000 commercial motor vehicles were inspected in the United State. Over 4,600 vehicles were found with violations and removed from the roadway.
Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce the braking capacity and stopping distance of trucks, creating a serious safety risk for everyone on the road. Keep yourself and others safe and ensure your brakes are in good condition. Here are a few things to check for:
- Signs of a missing brake lining, such as grooves in the drum
- Adequate lining on the brake shoe
- Leaks from the hub or other components that may contaminate the lining and pad surface
- Missing lining blocks or cracks/voids in the block
- Exposed rivets or lining blocks that are loose on the shoe
- Condition of the rotor on disc brakes, such as rusted rotors or metal-to-metal contact
It’s important to inspect all visible parts of the brakes as part of your pre- and post-trip inspections. If there are any issues, report them to your carrier or schedule a service appointment at your local MHC dealer soon as possible.