The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has set the date for its 2019 Brake Safety Week. From September 15 to 21, truck drivers and other CMV drivers in Connecticut will want to watch out because they are liable to be stopped for a brake inspection. Among commercial truckers especially, ongoing maintenance is required, and neglecting this rule may lead to drivers being issued an out-of-service order.

Brake Safety Week is an annual inspection spree that takes place across North America. It forms part of a greater program called Operation Airbrake Program, which the CVSA sponsors in partnership with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. To prepare for Brake Safety Week, law enforcement agencies often make efforts to educate drivers, fleet owners and mechanics on the need for continually maintained brakes.

The 2019 spree will, of course, cover every brake component but will be focused on brake hoses and tubing. Inspectors will make sure that these components are not damaged, leaking air, inflexible or improperly attached.

Braking violations and out-of-adjustment brakes were behind 45% of all out-of-service orders during the 2018 International Roadcheck. This three-day inspection spree, also held by the CVSA, resulted in some 4,500 truckers being taken off the road specifically for brake violations, so the issue is clearly widespread.

When bad brakes result in a trucking accident, those who were the innocent victims may be eligible for compensation. They may have suffered catastrophic injuries, but if they file a claim and are successful, they might be reimbursed for medical expenses both past and future, lost wages and the diminished capacity to earn a living. They may need a lawyer, though, to help them gather evidence and negotiate a reasonable settlement. This is where a case evaluation might prove beneficial.