Virginia DMV focuses on brake-related compliance, safety awareness

Brake Safety Week in Virginia was this week and continues through tomorrow.

The Week is an enforcement and outreach effort aimed at commercial motor vehicle and driver brake-related compliance and safety awareness. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) Law Enforcement Division supports the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) with inspection and enforcement of brake systems and components for commercial vehicles.

In 2023, 5,785 crashes involved commercial motor vehicles. Of the crashes, 65 commercial vehicles were recorded as having defective brakes.

“Raising brake safety awareness is a critical part of our mission to reduce crashes and save lives,” DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey, the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative, said. “By educating professional drivers on the importance of maintaining their vehicle’s braking systems, we are taking proactive steps to prevent accidents and make our roads safer for everyone. Your safety is our priority, and, together, we can make a difference.”

Educational efforts from inspectors, motor carriers and others in the industry during Brake Safety Week are crucial to the campaign’s success. In addition to conducting motor carrier safety inspections at fixed and mobile locations throughout the state, DMV‘s law enforcement officers provide educational information to drivers to ensure they understand how critical properly functioning brake systems are to highway safety. Inspectors also take the opportunity to provide educational materials to drivers on how to spot and report potential instances of human trafficking.

Comprising the largest percentage of out-of-service vehicle violations identified during roadside inspections, brake-related violations continue to be a significant concern. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s 2023 data, six of the top 20 vehicle violations were related to brakes. Last year’s CVSA International Road Check further highlighted the issue, with brake-system violations accounting for 25.2 percent of all out-of-service vehicle violations recorded during the three-day inspection period.