Nearly 400 Trucks Removed from North American Roads in One Day Due to Brake Violations

Source: CVSA

June 17, 2025 – Montreal

On April 22, a total of 398 commercial motor vehicles were placed out of service across North America during a surprise brake inspection blitz conducted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). Inspectors in 45 jurisdictions throughout Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. performed 4,569 inspections, identifying that 8.7% of vehicles had critical brake-related violations that warranted immediate removal from service.

CVSA’s Brake Safety Day is an unannounced enforcement initiative where certified inspectors conduct roadside checks with a special focus on brake systems and components. The campaign aims to identify major defects, ensure regulatory compliance, and collect brake-related inspection data to enhance road safety.

Of the vehicles inspected, 91.3% had no out-of-service brake violations. However, 398 vehicles were found to have critical issues that rendered them unsafe for continued operation. This year’s focus was on brake drums and rotors—components essential to safe stopping performance. Thirty-two trucks had issues with drums or rotors, and 14 of them were placed out of service.

Additional violations recorded during the campaign included:

• 237 vehicles (59.5%) meeting the 20% defective brake threshold.

• 77 out-of-service violations related to brake hoses or tubing.

• 48 steering axle violations.

• 38 failures in air loss rate testing.

• 112 other brake-related issues such as worn brake lines, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, and malfunctioning warning systems.

Nine U.S. jurisdictions also employed performance-based brake testers (PBBTs) during the event, conducting 100 inspections. A PBBT evaluates a vehicle’s braking efficiency, which must meet the minimum 43.5% threshold under U.S. federal regulations. Eight vehicles (8%) failed and were removed from service.

This unannounced Brake Safety Day is part of CVSA’s Operation Airbrake, a continent-wide program dedicated to improving brake safety in the commercial vehicle sector. The next enforcement initiative, Brake Safety Week, is scheduled for August 24–30, 2025.