GREENBELT, Md. – The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) is scheduling its annual Brake Safety Week for Sept. 15-22, and will place a particular focus on brake hoses and tubing.

Brake hoses and tubing needs to be properly attached, undamaged, leak-free, and flexible, says the association that governs roadside truck inspections.

Brake-related violations accounted for 45% of all out-of-service vehicle violation during last year’s three-day Roadcheck inspection blitz. And brake-related violations accounted for six of the top 20 most frequently cited vehicle violations in 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) says.

“We all know how important a properly functioning brake system is to vehicle operation,” said CVSA president Jay Thompson. “All components of the brake system must always be in proper operating condition. Brake systems and their parts and components must be routinely checked and carefully and consistently maintained to ensure the health and safety of the overall vehicle.”

Performance-based brake testers will be used to examine brakes in the 14 jurisdictions where such technology is available.

Trucks or combinations with a gross vehicle weight rating above 10,000 lb. need braking systems that are at least 43.5% efficient, according to U.S. federal motor carrier safety regulations and the CVSA’s North American out-of-service criteria.

Brake Safety Week is part of the Operation Airbrake Program, sponsored by CVSA in partnership with FMCSA and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.