Brake Safety Week 2026 Results and the Brake Checks That Matter
By Anthony Limpert, Supercanic, San Jacinto, California. Author Source EEAT Authors · Anthony's Author Page
CVSA inspectors placed 2,369 of 15,528 inspected vehicles out of service for brake violations during Brake Safety Week, August 23 to 29, 2026. That is a 15.3 percent rate, about 1 in 7 trucks. The biggest single cause was 20 percent or more of a vehicle's service brakes being defective.
The Short Version
- 15.3 percent of inspected vehicles were put out of service for brakes, up from 15.1 percent in 2025.
- 1,176 vehicles failed the 20 percent defective brake rule.
- Brake hoses and tubing drew 600 out of service violations.
- Drum and rotor checks found 141 violations, up from 113 in 2025.
- Rusted rotors were the most common drum and rotor problem at 48.
- Canada's out of service rate was 17.8 percent, the U.S. rate 15.1 percent.
The Results in Brief
Brake Safety Week is CVSA's yearly brake inspection campaign. In 2026 it ran August 23 to 29 across 51 jurisdictions. FleetOwner reported the results on November 10, 2026.
- 15,528 vehicles inspected.
- 2,369 placed out of service for brake violations, or 15.3 percent.
- 13,159 had no brake out of service violation, or 84.7 percent.
- 91 percent of inspections were full Level I inspections.
By Country
| Country | Inspections | Out of service | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 14,165 | 2,134 | 15.1 percent |
| Canada | 1,306 | 232 | 17.8 percent |
| Mexico | 57 | 3 | 5.3 percent |
| Total | 15,528 | 2,369 | 15.3 percent |
Source CVSA via Truckinginfo. Chart by Fleet Repaired.
How 2026 Compares With 2025
| Measure | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | August 24 to 30 | August 23 to 29 |
| Vehicles inspected | 15,175 | 15,528 |
| Out of service for brakes | 2,296 | 2,369 |
| Out of service rate | 15.1 percent | 15.3 percent |
| Failed 20 percent defective brake rule | 1,199 | 1,176 |
| Drum and rotor violations | 113 | 141 |
| Vehicles out of service for drums and rotors | 39 | 64 |
2025 figures from Fleet Maintenance, 2026 figures from FleetOwner and Truckinginfo. Drums and rotors were the focus area both years. The rate barely moved. Roughly 1 in 7 inspected trucks still fails on brakes.
The Five Problems That Took Trucks off the Road
1. Too Many Defective Brakes on One Vehicle
The top cause by far. 1,176 vehicles were put out of service because 20 percent or more of their service brakes were defective. That is 49.6 percent of all vehicles put out of service. It can be several smaller problems adding up across the axles, like brakes out of adjustment or worn linings. One bad brake gets written up. Enough bad brakes parks the truck.
2. Brake Hoses and Tubing
600 out of service violations. Chafed, kinked, cracked or leaking air lines. These wear where they rub on the frame or move with the suspension.
3. Air Loss
145 out of service violations for excessive air loss rate.
4. Steering Axle Brakes
119 violations for steering axle brake conditions other than linings, and 92 for steering axle linings.
5. Other Brake Parts
759 violations covered air tanks, tractor protection systems, parking brakes and low air warning devices, per Truckinginfo.
What the Drum and Rotor Checks Found
This year's focus found 141 drum and rotor violations, and 64 vehicles were put out of service for them.
| Drum or rotor problem | Violations |
|---|---|
| Rusted rotors | 48 |
| Broken drums | 36 |
| Broken rotors | 33 |
| Metal to metal contact | 24 |
By brake type, air disc brakes had 97 of the violations, S-cam brakes 36 and hydraulic brakes 8. Most rotor violations were on air disc brakes, and all 36 broken drums were on S-cam brakes.
Rotors are easy to skip on a quick walk around. Rust on a rotor face means the pad is not sweeping it clean. Look at both faces, not just the outside one you can see from the wheel.
Brake Testers Caught a Few More
Twelve U.S. jurisdictions used performance based brake testers on 657 vehicles. 29 of them, 4.4 percent, failed to reach the 43.5 percent minimum braking efficiency and were put out of service. In 2025, 25 vehicles failed this test, a 4.7 percent rate.
Questions Fleet Managers Ask
Was 2026 Worse Than 2025
Slightly. The out of service rate rose from 15.1 to 15.3 percent. Drum and rotor violations rose from 113 to 141, and vehicles put out of service for them rose from 39 to 64. Failures under the 20 percent rule fell a little, from 1,199 to 1,176.
Why Was Canada's Rate Higher
The reports do not say. Canada ran 1,306 inspections against 14,165 in the U.S., so a few trucks move its rate more. Its rate was 17.8 percent in 2026.
Were These Brake Only Inspections
No. 91 percent were Level I inspections, the full inspection. The results reported here count only the brake violations.
What Does One Brake Out of Service Order Cost
The reports do not put a dollar figure on it. Count the tow or mobile repair call, the late load and the driver hours, then compare that to the cost of a stroke and lining check at every PM.
A Brake Check List for Your Next PM
Built from the violations above, worst problem first.
- Measure pushrod stroke on every air brake chamber. Out of adjustment brakes are a fast way to hit the 20 percent rule.
- Check lining and pad thickness on every wheel end, steer axle first.
- Run every air line by hand and eye. Look for rub marks, cracks and kinks where hoses touch the frame or move with the suspension.
- Do an air loss test with the engine off and brakes applied, and listen at each chamber and fitting.
- Pull wheels on a schedule to see inside drums for cracks and both faces of rotors for rust or scoring.
- Test the parking brake, low air warning and tractor protection valve.
- Write every defect on the driver vehicle inspection report. Under 49 CFR 396.11, any defect that affects safety must be repaired and signed off before the truck runs again.
We work on a lot of fleet trucks and vans. If your units run in Riverside County, Supercanic handles fleet brake repair in the Inland Empire, at the shop or on site.
Why the Rate Will Not Drop on Its Own
The out of service rate was 15.1 percent in 2025 and 15.3 percent in 2026. Inspections happen every day, not only during campaign week. The fleets that stay out of these numbers run the same brake list at every PM and fix what drivers write up before the truck rolls. That is the whole plan.
Sources
- FleetOwner, CVSA Reports 15.3 Percent Brake Related Out of Service Rate During 2026 Inspections
- Truckinginfo, Brake Problems Sideline 15 Percent of Inspected Trucks
- Fleet Maintenance, CVSA Places 2,296 Vehicles Out of Service During 2025 Brake Safety Week
- Cornell Law, 49 CFR 396.11 Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports
Anthony Limpert
Co-founder of Supercanic, a repair shop in San Jacinto, California that works on work trucks, vans and diesels. He writes Fleet Repaired from the shop floor and links every rule and number to its source.
