2000 Brake Safety Conference
Brake related defects continue to be the most frequent reason for taking enforcement action against commercial vehicles for equipment violations. While the correlation data between brake defects and their contribution to crashes is poor, there is sufficient data to show that reducing the occurrence of brake defects will improve the stopping capability of the vehicle and, ultimately, have a positive effect on the crash rate for commercial vehicles.
This conference was held to bring together all of the disciplines that have a role to play in determining the level of brake compliance and improving performance. The goal was to collectively develop a series of recommendations and best practices that will improve commercial vehicle brake safety and compliance.
Over 100 delegates attended the conference, primarily from the U.S. and Canada, and the program progressed through three distinct phases.
- The first phase involved presentations on the statistics of brake defects and crashes, technical overview of brake function and behavior, and review of scientific research on brake systems, and a study carried out in Quebec that analyzed the contribution of brake factors in crashes.
- The second phase focused on brake problems and hindrances to compliance. This phase entailed expert presenters from each of the five disciplines: manufacturers, regulators, carriers, drivers and enforcement. Presenters provided their own perspective on brake compliance problems.
- The third phase focused on identifying solutions to the problems based on presentations from the same panel of experts and other solutions identified during discussion throughout the conference.
Delegates attending the conference were asked to review the material presented. Through structured breakout group sessions the delegates validated (or invalidated) both the problems and solutions identified in the material presented by the experts. The results of the breakout group work are revealed in the conclusions and recommendations.
Formal recommendations based on the solutions developed and validated during the conference were made to the organizations and agencies identified by the conference attendees and the organizing committee.
North American Brake Safety Conference Final Report 
