Brake Safety Week 2025: How to Prepare Now

Every year, truckers across North America brace for one of the most intensive enforcement periods in the industry: Brake Safety Week. For owner-operators and fleet managers, this week represents both a challenge and an opportunity—a chance to demonstrate your commitment to safety while avoiding costly violations and downtime.

What is Brake Safety Week?

Brake Safety Week is an annual enforcement initiative organized by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). During this seven-day period, certified inspectors across the United States, Canada, and Mexico conduct thousands of roadside inspections with a focus on brake system safety and compliance.

The program isn’t just about finding violations—it’s designed to promote brake safety awareness and encourage proper maintenance practices throughout the year. CVSA inspectors use this week to collect data on brake-related issues, identify trends, and ultimately make our highways safer for everyone.

When is Brake Safety Week 2025?

The CVSA Brake Safety Week 2025 is August 24-30. This timing isn’t coincidental—it falls during peak shipping season when commercial vehicles are logging maximum miles, and brake systems are under their greatest stress.

It’s worth noting that CVSA also conducts an unannounced one-day brake safety enforcement initiative at some point every year, so maintaining brake system compliance should be a year-round priority, not just an August concern.

What to Expect During Roadside Inspections

During Brake Safety Week, inspectors follow standardized procedures to evaluate your brake system’s condition and performance. They’ll examine brake linings, drums, rotors, hoses, and chambers, looking for signs of wear, damage, or improper adjustment. Inspectors also check for adequate brake lining thickness, proper slack adjuster operation, and any signs of air leaks in pneumatic systems.

The statistics from recent years underscore the importance of preparation. During Brake Safety Week 2024, inspectors conducted over 16,000 inspections during Brake Safety Week, with approximately 13% of vehicles placed out of service for brake-related violations. While this means most trucks passed inspection, those that didn’t faced significant delays and potential fines.

How to Prepare for Brake Safety Week 2025

The key to surviving Brake Safety Week lies in proactive preparation, not last-minute fixes. Here’s how you can still ensure your trucks are ready for roadside inspections.

Perform your own brake system inspections.

Begin with a comprehensive brake system inspection. Check brake lining thickness on all wheels—remember that the minimum thickness is 1/4 inch for steering axles and 3/16 inch for other axles. Inspect brake drums and rotors for cracks, excessive wear, or heat damage. Any component showing signs of structural compromise should be replaced immediately.

Check your air brakes.

Pay special attention to your air brake system. Check all air hoses for cracks, chafing, or loose connections. Test your low air warning system and verify that your spring brakes engage at the proper pressure. Inspect slack adjusters to ensure they’re properly adjusted and functioning correctly. Misadjusted brakes are among the most common violations during Brake Safety Week.

Don’t overlook the smaller components that can lead to violations. Check brake chamber mounting bolts for tightness, ensure all brake warning lights function properly, and verify that your brake stroke indicators are within acceptable ranges.

Ensure your documentation and driver training is up to date.

Proper documentation can be your best friend during an inspection. Maintain detailed records of brake inspections, repairs, and component replacements. Having this paperwork readily available demonstrates your commitment to maintenance and can help explain any borderline conditions to inspectors.

Ensure your drivers are prepared for potential inspections. They should know how to properly conduct pre-trip brake inspections and be able to explain your maintenance procedures to inspectors. A knowledgeable driver can make the difference between a minor delay and a lengthy out-of-service order.

Promote a Year-Round Brake Safety Culture

While Brake Safety Week garners the most attention, the most successful trucking operations treat brake safety as a daily priority. Implement regular brake inspections as part of your routine truck maintenance schedule. Weekly visual checks can catch problems before they become violation. Monthly detailed inspections can identify wear patterns that might indicate larger issues.

Consider investing in brake performance testing equipment or partnering with maintenance providers who have performance-based brake testers (PBBT). These tools can provide brake system effectiveness data and identify problems that might not be visible during visual inspections.

The Bottom Line: Brake Safety Matters

Brake Safety Week 2025 is here! Ensure your trucks are ready to pass, or risk facing violations, fines, and downtime when inspectors flag trucks for brake-related issues.

Remember, brake safety isn’t just about passing inspections—it’s about protecting yourself, your cargo, and every other driver sharing the road with your truck. Properly maintained brakes are one of the most important safety features on your trucks, and the investment in maintaining them pays dividends in reduced liability, lower insurance costs, and most importantly, peace of mind.