What is Brake Safety Week?
Each year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in coordination with Law Enforcement Partners, conducts Brake Safety Week as part of its broader Operation Airbrake program. This year's event takes place August 24–30, 2025, and will involve nationwide roadside inspections of commercial vehicles with a strong focus on brake drums and rotors.
Why it matters for fleets
Brake violations are the leading cause of out-of-service orders and they can come at a cost. During Brake Safety Week 2024, inspectors conducted 16,725 inspections, and 12.8% of vehicles were placed out of service due to brake-related violations, representing more than 2,100 trucks1. These violations don’t just result in downtime. They can damage your CSA scores, increase your insurance premiums, trigger DOT audits, and compromise your reputation and defensibility in court.
What inspectors are looking for
CVSA inspectors will focus on several brake system components, including brake hose chafing, cracked or worn drums and rotors, air leaks, brake adjustment measurements, and missing parts.
How to prepare your fleet
Here’s what Nirvana recommends to get ahead of Brake Safety Week:
How Nirvana helps fleets stay prepared
Nirvana’s usage-based fleet insurance platform is built around real-time telematics data to help fleets stay ahead of issues like brake safety. Our platform allows you to monitor roadside violations across your fleet, track and report claims efficiently, and review safety trends that might indicate underlying maintenance risks. You can also identify which vehicles are at the highest risk for inspections and intervene before they ever happen.
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Brake Safety Week is more than a compliance event. It’s an opportunity to boost your fleet’s long-term safety and financial health.
You can download the CVSA’s brake inspection checklist here.
Sources
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