Brake System Inspections: Drums and Rotors | Brake Safety Week 2025

Each year, commercial truck drivers face one of the most critical road safety events in the industry: Brake Safety Week. Scheduled for August 24 – 30, this annual initiative emphasizes the significance of brake system inspection. During the week, CVSA-certified inspectors across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will perform inspections to educate drivers about the importance of proper brake maintenance and operation. The goal is to help prevent accidents caused by worn, faulty, or poorly maintained braking systems.

Focus: Brake Drums and Rotors

This year’s focus is on brake systems and components, specifically drums and rotors. These components can impact your truck’s efficiency. Cracks, broken pieces, or damage of any kind can cause parts to come loose. This can lead to further vehicle damage — or worse, send debris flying into nearby cars or trucks, potentially causing serious injuries or even fatalities on the road.

If inspectors find any brake problems, they’ll issue an out-of-service violation and take your truck off the road until you make the necessary repairs.

Brake System Inspection Tips

To avoid such violations, follow these brake inspection tips provided by the CVSA to help make sure your truck has no safety problems during these roadside inspections.

1. Inspect visible portions of the drum or rotor as part of your pre- and post-trip inspections.
2. Look for signs of cracked or broken pieces in the friction surface of the rotor.
3. Look for cracks that run through to the outer portion of the drum or missing pieces, where visible.
4. On disc brakes, pay attention to the condition of the rotor. Heavily rusted rotors across the entire friction surface indicate an inoperative brake.
5. If the rotor is grooved, indicating metal-to-metal contact, that means the brake pads are worn and the shoe is making contact with the rotor.
6. Ensure the rotor is not worn to the extent that the center vents are exposed.
7. Make sure all repairs are consistent with the brake manufacturer’s requirements and guidelines.
8. Note any issues in your driver vehicle inspection reports and report them to the motor carrier.

Stay safe and compliant on the road by following these CVSA standards to avoid costly violations, breakdowns, or worse. Always perform a thorough pre-trip inspection to make sure your truck is ready for the road.

Brake Safety Day 2025

On April 22, during a surprise Brake Safety Day inspection, nearly 9% of the commercial vehicles checked were pulled off the road for brake-related issues. Out of 4,569 inspections, 398 trucks received out-of-service violations. Of those, almost 60% failed due to nearly 20% or more of their brakes not properly working.

Inspectors also flagged over 160 additional violations for brake hoses, tubing, steering axles, and air loss rate tests. On top of that, there were 112 more out-of-service violations for issues like work brake lines or hoses, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, and even faulty low-air warning devices.

It’s a strong reminder of just how critical it is to stay on top of brake maintenance.

Contact our Service Departments to schedule a brake inspection or your next maintenance appointment: Coopersburg Kenworth, Liberty Kenworth of South Jersey, and Liberty Kenworth of Bristol.