Brake Safety Week 2026 is over. Your brake record isn't.
CVSA's weeklong brake inspection campaign ran August 23-29, 2026. The inspections are finished, but every brake violation recorded at a U.S. inspection that week will count in the carrier's FMCSA safety data for two years.
Written by Rigo Diaz
Brake campaigns in numbers
Brake Safety Week is CVSA's annual seven-day brake inspection and enforcement campaign across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. In 2026 it ran August 23-29, with a focus on brake drums and rotors. Results come later this year; in the 2025 week, 15.1% of inspected vehicles were placed out of service for brakes.
Brake Safety Week is over for 2026. The violations it recorded are not. Every brake violation recorded at a U.S. roadside inspection between August 23 and 29 is now part of that carrier's FMCSA safety data, and it will keep counting for the next two years.
I spent more than six years in risk management before I founded Simplex, and more than 25 years since helping carriers with compliance and insurance. Brakes are where I would start any risk review of a fleet. CVSA says brake violations are the most-cited vehicle out-of-service violation at roadside inspections, and almost everything an inspector checks can be seen or measured in your own yard first.
The full briefing, read aloud
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Generated with AI text-to-speech from this article's key insights, in order, rather than reading it word for word. Chapter times come from a transcript of the audio. The article itself was written and reviewed by Rigo Diaz.
Key takeaways
The 2026 week ran August 23-29
Inspectors in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. focused on brakes, with extra attention on drums and rotors. CVSA will release the results later this year.
Brakes top the out-of-service list
In the 2025 week, 15.1% of vehicles inspected were placed out of service for brakes. At 2026 International Roadcheck, brake conditions made up 39.1% of vehicle out-of-service violations.
The rotor minimum is the manufacturer's
Under 49 CFR 393.47(g), drums and rotors may not be thinner than the limit set by their manufacturer.
A violation counts for 24 months
Brake violations carry a severity weight of 4 in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, plus 2 if the truck is put out of service, and count triple for the first six months.
The next check may not be announced
Brake Safety Day is unannounced, and routine inspections run all year. CVSA will post 2027 dates at the end of 2026.
In this articleContents
What is Brake Safety Week?
Brake Safety Week is a seven-day inspection, enforcement, and education campaign run by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). Certified inspectors in Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. conduct their routine commercial vehicle inspections with a focus on brake systems, and any vehicle with an out-of-service violation stays off the road until it is fixed.
It is not an FMCSA program, even though people often search for it as the FMCSA or DOT brake check week. CVSA is a nonprofit made up of local, state, provincial, territorial, and federal commercial vehicle safety officials and industry representatives. The week is part of its Operation Airbrake program, which began in Canada in 1998 and has inspected more than 3.4 million brakes.
Operation Airbrake also runs Brake Safety Day, a one-day event that is not announced in advance. On the 2026 Brake Safety Day, 90.6% of inspections were Level I, the full 37-step inspection explained in our guide to CVSA inspection types.
| Campaign | Inspections | Out of service for brakes |
|---|---|---|
| Brake Safety Week, Aug 23-29, 2026 | Results not yet published | Not yet published |
| Brake Safety Day, April 14, 2026 (unannounced) | 4,021 | 574 vehicles (14.3%) |
| Brake Safety Week, Aug 24-30, 2025 | 15,175 | 2,296 vehicles (15.1%) |
| Brake Safety Day, April 22, 2025 (unannounced) | 4,569 | 398 vehicles (8.7%) |
Brake Safety Week is one of several CVSA campaigns truckers call blitz weeks. Our guide on how to prepare for DOT blitz week covers the full 2026 calendar and a checklist that works for all of them.
What did inspectors check during Brake Safety Week 2026?
Inspectors checked the whole brake system, with extra attention on drums and rotors. CVSA's announcement listed what they looked for:
- Missing, non-functioning, loose, contaminated, or cracked parts
- Non-manufactured holes, such as rust holes, or broken springs in the spring brake housing
- Audible air leaks around brake components and lines
- Over-stroking service brakes
- Worn brake linings or pads
- Broken or cracked drums or rotors
- Inoperative tractor protection systems
Drums and rotors were also the focus in 2025, when inspectors found 113 drum and rotor violations and put 39 vehicles out of service for them. CVSA's reason is simple: a worn or cracked drum or rotor reduces braking efficiency, and broken pieces can come loose while the truck is moving.
What is the minimum brake rotor thickness?
Federal rules do not set a number. Under 49 CFR 393.47(g), a drum or rotor may not be thinner than the limit established by its manufacturer, so the spec for your brand and model is the one that counts. CVSA's 2026 flyer adds what inspectors treat as signs of trouble: a rotor worn far enough to expose its center vents, grooves from metal-to-metal contact, and heavy rust across the entire friction surface, which indicates the brake is not working.
What else gets measured?
| Item | The limit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Drums and rotors | Not thinner than the manufacturer's limit | 393.47(g) |
| Linings and pads, steering axle | Drum: 3/16 in. (continuous strip) or 1/4 in. (two pads) at shoe center; disc: 1/8 in. | 393.47(d)(1) |
| Linings and pads, other axles | Drum: 1/4 in. or the wear indicator; disc: 1/8 in. | 393.47(d)(2) |
| Pushrod stroke | Within the chamber's readjustment limit, such as 2 in. for a standard type 30 clamp chamber | 393.47(e) |
| All brakes | Capable of operating at all times | 393.48(a) |
Inspectors also check the ABS malfunction lamp. Truck tractors built on or after March 1, 1997, and other air-braked vehicles built on or after March 1, 1998, need antilock brakes under 49 CFR 393.55. According to CVSA's brake FAQs, the lamp should come on and then go off when power is supplied. A lamp that never lights, or stays on, is likely a violation.
When is the next Brake Safety Week?
Not announced yet. CVSA says the dates for its 2027 brake safety campaigns will be posted at the end of 2026.
Recent weeks have fallen in late August: August 20-26, 2023; August 24-30, 2025; and August 23-29, 2026. Brake Safety Day is different by design. It is not announced in advance, and it fell on April 22 in 2025 and April 14 in 2026.
The campaign dates matter less than they seem. CVSA estimates that about 4 million commercial vehicle inspections are conducted across North America every year, and a brake violation found in March counts the same as one found in August.
What happens when an inspector finds a brake violation?
If the defect meets CVSA's out-of-service criteria, the truck stops where it is. Under 49 CFR 396.9, no one may operate a vehicle declared out of service until the required repairs are complete, and it may only be towed away by a vehicle using a crane or hoist.
The most common trigger is the 20% defective brakes criterion: 20% or more of the brakes on the vehicle or combination have a condition that makes them defective. In the 2025 week, inspectors cited it 1,199 times, more than any other brake out-of-service condition.
How long does a brake violation stay on your record?
Twenty-four months. Brake violations count in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC of FMCSA's Safety Measurement System, one of the 7 BASICs. Most carry a severity weight of 4, and an out-of-service violation adds 2 more.
That weight is then multiplied by time: 3 for the first six months, 2 for the next six, and 1 until the violation ages out at 24 months. An out-of-service brake violation written during Brake Safety Week 2026 therefore carries a weight of 18 (6 times 3) until late February 2027. The Vehicle Maintenance intervention threshold is 80% for most property carriers, 75% for hazmat carriers, and 65% for passenger carriers.
What does it mean for your insurance?
Underwriters price what they can see, and a pattern of brake out-of-service orders is easy to see. Our guide to how CSA scores affect truck insurance premiums explains which parts of your record are public and how underwriters tend to read them.
How do you keep brake violations off your record?
Treat brakes as a weekly routine, not a campaign. Each step below maps to something an inspector checks.
Step 1: Look at drums and rotors on every pre-trip
A driver must be satisfied that the service brakes, trailer brake connections, and parking brake are in good working order before driving (49 CFR 392.7). CVSA's tips: inspect the visible parts of each drum and rotor before and after every trip, look for cracks and missing pieces, and note anything suspicious on the driver vehicle inspection report.
Step 2: Measure stroke, don't guess
Air-braked vehicles built on or after October 20, 1994, must have automatic brake adjusters (49 CFR 393.53), but inspectors still measure stroke. CVSA's method: block the wheels, release the spring brakes, bring air pressure to 90 to 100 psi, turn off the engine, mark the pushrods, fully apply the brakes, and measure.
Step 3: Repair to the manufacturer's spec, and write it down
Carriers must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain their vehicles and keep records of the date and nature of the work for one year, plus six months after a vehicle leaves their control (49 CFR 396.3). Our guide to truck preventive maintenance shows how to schedule it.
Step 4: Close out every inspection report
Within 15 days of an inspection, certify on the report that every violation was corrected, and keep a copy for 12 months. Since July 22, 2026, you return the form to the state only if the issuing agency asks for it.
Step 5: Challenge only what is wrong
FMCSA's DataQs system is for requesting a review of data you believe is incomplete or incorrect. A repair made after the inspection belongs on the certified report, not in a DataQs request.
If you want a second set of eyes on your maintenance records, our DOT safety compliance team works with carriers on equipment maintenance, annual inspections, and the paperwork behind them.
How Simplex helps you keep brakes off your record
Good brakes are a maintenance habit. A clean record also takes paperwork, monitoring, and the right coverage. We help with all three.
Maintenance and inspection records
Our DOT safety compliance team helps with fleet equipment maintenance and repair compliance, annual vehicle inspections, and the records that prove them.
Help with a high CSA score
Our CSA program support helps you understand the violations behind your scores, including the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, and work to improve them.
Coverage that fits your fleet
Our insurance team places liability, cargo, and physical damage coverage, and we recommend a policy review every year as your operation changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brake Safety Week run by FMCSA?+
When is Brake Safety Week 2027?+
What is the minimum brake rotor thickness?+
Does a violation found during Brake Safety Week count more than one found another week?+
Can I dispute a brake violation?+
Where this information comes from
The facts below come from CVSA's campaign announcements and results, federal regulations, and FMCSA's Safety Measurement System documents, checked on September 24, 2026.
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1
CVSA — Brake Safety Week Is Underway (2026)
The August 23-29, 2026 dates, the drum and rotor focus, and what inspectors checked.
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2
CVSA — 2025 Brake Safety Week Results
15,175 inspections, the 15.1% brake out-of-service rate, and the 20% defective brakes count.
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3
CVSA — 2026 Brake Safety Day Results
The unannounced April 14, 2026 event, its 14.3% rate, and the 20% defective brakes definition.
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4
CVSA — 2026 Brake Safety Week Flyer
Inspectors' drum and rotor tips and the violations they point to.
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5
eCFR — 49 CFR 393.47
Lining and pad thickness, pushrod stroke limits, and drum and rotor thickness.
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6
eCFR — 49 CFR 396.9
Out-of-service orders and the 15-day certification of repairs.
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7
FMCSA — SMS Methodology, version 3.21
The out-of-service weight, time weights, the 24-month window, and intervention thresholds.
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8
FMCSA — SMS Methodology Appendix A
Brake violation codes and their severity weight in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.
Written by
Rigo Diaz
Founder & CEO, Simplex Group
Founder and CEO of Simplex Group, with more than 25 years leading the company and helping trucking entrepreneurs navigate compliance, insurance, and the day-to-day demands of running a carrier. Before founding Simplex, he spent more than six years in risk management, experience that continues to shape how he approaches insurance, compliance, and carrier risk today.
Published · Updated
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