Submitted by the Georgia Department of Public Safety

ATLANTA — Officers with the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Motor Carrier Compliance Division are conducting concentrated brake inspections on commercial vehicles this week as part of a nationwide effort to locate vehicles with faulty brakes. The annual Brake Safety Week continues through Saturday.

Chief Mark McLeod, commander of the Motor Carrier Compliance Unit, said Brake Safety Week is part of a comprehensive program by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance promoting commercial vehicle brake safety across North America. “The objective of the week is to help commercial drivers and mechanics understand the importance of proper brake inspection, maintenance and operation.”

The effort in Georgia is a combination of enforcement and education. “Nationally, brakes comprise the largest percentage of Out-of-Service Violations cited during commercial vehicle inspections,” McLeod said. “Braking systems on commercial vehicles are complicated and contain many parts, all of which need constant inspection and attention to ensure proper operation and performance.”

Brake inspections are being conducted at Motor Carrier Compliance Inspection Stations throughout Georgia as well as roadside inspections during the course of traffic stops by MCCD officers.

As part of Brake Safety Week a performance-based brake tester (PBBT) is being used at the Northbound Weigh Station on Interstate 85 in Lavonia. The PBBT, provided by the Battelle Institute, measures the braking performance of commercial motor vehicles. It can assess vehicle braking capability through quantitative measure of individual wheel brake forces or overall vehicle brake performance in a controlled test.

Col. Bill Hitchens, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said the inspections and educational efforts are focused to enhance the regulatory compliance and performance of commercial vehicle braking systems. “Brakes are vital to the safe operation of a commercial vehicle and faulty brakes can lead to tragic results on our state’s roads,” he said.

This year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has produced a podcast for commercial vehicle drivers where experts answer brake safety questions. The podcast is available at http://www.cvsa.org, then scroll down to “Publications and Podcasts.”