Northern Arizona – As part of Operation Airbrake – Brake Safety Week, Commercial Vehicle Inspectors with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) will conduct a special enforcement detail along Interstate 40 on Sept. 13, 2016 at the eastbound Parks Rest Area at milepost 182.
The mandatory inspection will involve specially trained troopers examining the brake assembly on all commercial vehicles.
Results from the 2006 U.S. Department of Transportation large truck crash causation study indicated that brake issues were a factor in 29.4 percent of all commercial vehicle crashes investigated.
“Effective braking equipment and adjustment is critical to vehicle safety, but these components can’t be fully checked during a cursory inspection at the roadside. Initiatives such as Operation Airbrake – Brake Safety Week where specially trained troopers engage the commercial vehicle industry in brake inspections, go a long way towards closing that gap,” said Captain Brian Preston of AZDPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.
While the operation at the Parks Rest Area is a mandatory commercial vehicle inspection, the next day troopers will participate in a voluntary brake inspection detail located at the Pilot Travel Center which is part of the Little America Travel Center located off eastbound Interstate 40 and Butler.
During this detail, troopers will contact truck drivers, explain the Operation Airbrake mission and offer a no-obligation inspection of their vehicle’s brakes. This will also be a chance for troopers to educate truck drivers on the importance of brake maintenance and performance.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety is a state-level law enforcement agency whose mission is to protect human life and property by enforcing state laws, deterring criminal activity and providing vital support to the State of Arizona and its citizens.