Alert: The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) annual Brake Safety Week begins this Sunday, September 12th, 2010. The program will run until Saturday, September 18th, 2010. Any drivers who haven't checked their brakes in a while might want to do so this week in preparation for the kick-off of this program. Below is a run down of the program and answers to some commonly asked questions.
What is the purpose of the program?
CVSA's annual Brake Safety Week is a part of the Operation Air Brake campaign. The campaign started because out of adjustment air brakes and brake system defects on commercial vehicles constitute a major defect that results in vehicles being placed out of service. The program runs throughout Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It's primary objective, like CSA 2010, is to reduce the number of highway crashes; the Brake Safety week program focuses on reducing the number of highway crashes caused by faulty brake systems.
How will the program work for the week of Sept 12-18, 2010?
Roadside inspections will be conducted by CVSA-certified inspectors, with a special emphasis being placed on the inspection of air brakes and braking systems. CVSA-certified inspectors will also increase their presence at truck stops and other locations where drivers and mechanics congregate. Their primary goal at these locations is to educate drivers and instruct them on the inspection procedure and the operation of braking systems. All Operation Air Brake Inspections are to be identified as a Level IV Inspection under CVSA.
What can drivers do to prepare for this program?
In just a few moments, drivers can easily adjust air brakes that are equipped with manual slack adjusters and check for other defects related to brakes. It is the opinion of many professionals in the industry that the primary reasons for drivers not adjusting their brakes is a lack of education, training, and not having the commitment to safety.
Drivers are strongly encouraged to take the few minutes it does take to adjust their braking systems, and also be open and welcoming to the training that is being offered during this week. Commitment to safety results in safer highways for all, and less commercial vehicles out of service.
For more information of the Operation Air Brake/Brake Safety Week, visit the CVSA website at: http://www.cvsa.org/programs/op_airbrake.aspx.
So, mark you calendars for next week and ask yourself, Have You Checked Your Brakes Today?
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