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The Louisiana State Police, along with many other nationwide law enforcement agencies, have partnered with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) to enforce Brake Safety Week which will be August 21 through August 27, 2022. Brake Safety Week is an annual commercial motor vehicle brake-safety inspection, enforcement and education initiative conducted by law enforcement jurisdictions in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

Brake-related violations comprise the largest percentage of all out-of-service vehicle violations cited during roadside inspections, and according to last year’s three-day International Road check data, brake systems and brake adjustment violations accounted for 38.9% of all vehicle out-of-service violations, the most of any category of vehicle violations. To address this, CVSA’s Brake Safety Week seeks to:

• Identify and remove commercial motor vehicles with critical vehicle inspection violation items identified in the North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria from roadways.
• Conduct inspections and identify and acknowledge commercial motor vehicles that do not have critical vehicle inspection violations by affixing those vehicles with a CVSA decal.
• Encourage proactive vehicle maintenance in advance of the week.
• Highlight the hard work and commitment to safety by inspectors, drivers and motor carriers.
• Remind drivers and motor carriers about the importance of proper brake maintenance and vehicle pre-trip and post-trip inspections.
• Provide an opportunity for outreach and educational brake-safety efforts by inspectors.

 

Troopers with Louisiana State Police offer the following 10 brake hose and tubing tips.

1. Inspect brake hoses and tubing as part of your pre-trip and post-trip inspections.
2. Report any issues in your driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR).
3. Look for brake hoses that are making contact with steering, suspension, brake or other components, or the tires or frame.
4. Listen for air leaks, identify the location of the leak, and make the necessary repairs before leaving.
5. Brake hoses should not be kinked or improperly repaired.
6. Airlines should not hang down and touch the tractor deck or frame.
7. When you find air hoses or tubing making contact with other components, check for abrasion wear, and protect, secure or move the hose to prevent wear.
8. If a hose or tubing is chafing and has caused a reduction in diameter or, on thermal plastic hoses, the secondary white color is visible, a violation exists.
9. If a hose is worn so that the reinforcement ply is cut or a braided, this is an out of service condition and should be replaced immediately.
10. Make sure all repairs are consistent with manufacturers requirements and guidelines.

 

Motorists are urged to contact the nearest LSP Troop by dialing *LSP (*577) if they observe any of the above safety suspicions. For more information about brake safety, visit www.OperationAirbrake.org.