Brake Safety

After a brake safety inspection, the Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement posted the following photo and text on its Facebook page:

“Just so we are on the same page here – vise grips, while being a fantastic invention and useful in many applications, are not supposed to be clamping off air to your trailer brakes (or any other brakes). It is worth noting that not a single brake worked on this trailer. We are all happier and safer when you weigh 70,000lbs and your trailer brakes actually work.
Thank you to all those companies, drivers, and mechanics out there that maintain your equipment in a professional manner!”

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has, over the years, collected many photos showing all manner of very dangerous safety issues. Although most vehicles have few if any violations, the states point to situations like this brake safety issue in Iowa to justify why they actively inspect vehicles. Keep in mind that this was an inspection on a vehicle that was being operated on the highway. It most likely would have continued to operate in this manner had the trailer not been placed out of service.