Brake Safety Week in North America was held Sept. 9-15 and is an annual enforcement campaign on commercial vehicle, truck and bus brake system maintenance.

In 2012, 21,255 vehicles were inspected in North America during the week, with 15.3% having a brake maintenance problem severe enough to warrant being put out of service until repairs were made.

The rates for trucks being put out of service due to brake safety violations during brake week from 2007-2012 appear below.

Year

2007

2008

2009

2010

2012

Percentage

17.8%

18.4%

15.1%

13.5%

15.3%

Canadian commercial vehicles fared better on inspections than the U.S. vehicles with 15.5% of U.S. vehicles and 10.8% of Canadian vehicles placed out of service due to brake problems.

  • 1,993 vehicles, 9.4%, were placed out of service for brake adjustment problems.
  • 1,664 vehicles, 7.8%, were placed out of service for brake components.
  • 3,248 vehicles, 15.3%, were placed out of service for brakes overall  (some vehicles had both adjustment and component failures.)