Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/716013
12 commercial carrier journal | august 2016 JOURNAL NEWS Brake Safety Week inspection blitz to be held in September I nspectors will target brake safety again this September when the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's Brake Safety Week takes place Sept. 11-17. Across North America, law enforce- ment agencies will conduct inspections and look for out- of-adjustment brakes and brake system and anti- lock braking sys- tem violations. CVSA said inspectors will look for loose or missing parts, air or hydraulic fluid leaks and worn linings, pads, drums and rotors, as well as other faulty brake system com- ponents. Inspectors also will be checking ABS mal- function indicator lights. Defective or out-of-adjust- ment brakes and related components will result in the vehicle being placed out of service. Full Level I inspections also are planned during the week, and 10 jurisdictions will be using performance- based brake testers to measure braking efficiency. "CMV brakes are designed to hold up under tough conditions, but they must be routinely inspected and maintained carefully and consistently so they operate and perform properly throughout the vehicle's life," CVSA said. "Improperly installed or poorly main- tained brake systems can reduce braking efficiency and increase the stopping distance of trucks and buses, posing serious risks to driver and public safety." During 2015's brake inspection spree, officials con- ducted 18,817 inspections and placed 2,321 trucks out of service – 12.3 percent. Brake Safety Week is part of CVSA's Operation Airbrake program in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. – Matt Cole Report indicates truck-involved fatalities up 4 percent in 2015 P reliminary data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show a 4 percent increase in truck- involved crashes with fatalities in 2015 over 2014. Overall, NHTSA found a 7.7 percent increase in traffic deaths during 2015, with an estimated 35,200 people killed on U.S. roadways in 2015, up from the 32,675 reported fatalities in 2014. If the agency's predictions hold to be true, 2015 will be the deadliest year on U.S. highways since 37,423 people were killed in 2008. NHTSA's analysis found "significant increases" in deaths of motorcyclists and nonoccupants (pedestrians and bicyclists) when compared to 2014. Additionally, nine out of 10 NHTSA regions saw increases in traffic fatalities in 2015. The only region to see a drop in fatalities was Region 6, consisting of Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. Region 10, consisting of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, had a 20 percent increase in fatalities, the highest in the nation. "Every American should be able to drive, ride or walk to their destination safely, every time," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "We are analyzing the data to deter- mine what factors contributed to the increase in fatalities, and at the same time, we are aggressively testing new safety tech- nologies, new ways to improve driver behavior and new ways to analyze the data we have, as we work with the entire road safety community to tackle this challenge head-on." NHTSA Administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind said the 3.5 per- cent increase in vehicles miles traveled in 2015 over 2014 is only part of the equation. "As the economy has improved and gas prices have fallen, more Americans are driving more miles, but that only explains part of the increase," Rosekind said. "Ninety-four percent of crashes can be tied back to a human choice or error, so we know we need to focus our efforts on improving human behavior while promoting vehicle technology that not only protects people in crashes but also helps prevent crashes in the first place." The final report will be released later this year. – Matt Cole This NHTSA chart shows the percent- age change in estimated fatalities in 2015 compared to 2014. During 2015's Brake Safety Week, officials conducted 18,817 inspections and placed 2,321 trucks out of service – 12.3 percent.