• Don’t stop along the interstate or park on the shoulder during the event.

• Exit the highway to safe location to view and/or photograph the eclipse.

• Don’t take photographs while driving!

• Don’t try to wear opaque eclipse glasses while operating a vehicle.

• Turn your headlights on — do not rely on your automatic headlights when the eclipse blocks out   the sun.

• Watch out for pedestrians along smaller roads. People may be randomly parking and walking alongside the roadside in the hours around the eclipse to get the best view.

• Prepare for extra congestion especially on the interstates in the path on the day before, day of and day after the eclipse.

• Avoid travel during the eclipse or in the area of the main path if you can.

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Properly functioning brake systems are crucial to safe CMV operation. CMV brakes are designed to hold up under tough conditions, but they must be routinely inspected and maintained carefully and consistently so they operate and perform properly throughout the vehicle’s life. Improperly installed or poorly maintained brake systems can reduce braking efficiency and increase the stopping distance of trucks and buses, posing serious risks to driver and public safety. ABS systems help the vehicle, and thus the driver, maintain control in certain situations, which reduces the risk of some types of crashes.

Brake-related violations comprised the largest percentage (representing 43 percent) of all out-of-service violations cited during Operation Airbrake’s companion International Roadcheck campaign in 2015, which focused on inspections of both vehicles and drivers.

Inspections conducted during Brake Safety Week include inspection of brake-system components to identify loose or missing parts, air or hydraulic fluid leaks, worn linings, pads, drums or rotors, and other faulty brake-system components. ABS malfunction indicator lamps are also checked. Inspectors will inspect brake components and measure pushrod stroke where applicable. Defective or out-of-adjustment brakes will result in the vehicle being placed out of service.

Many inspectors will be conducting Level I Inspections, and in the 10 jurisdictions currently using performance-based brake testing (PBBT) equipment, vehicle braking efficiency will be measured. These systems include a slow speed roller dynamometer that measures total vehicle weight and total brake force from which braking efficiency is determined. The minimum braking efficiency for trucks is 43.5 percent, required by U.S. federal regulation and the CVSA out-of-service criteria.

Outreach and educational efforts by CMV inspectors, participating motor carriers and others in the industry will also take place during Brake Safety Week and are integral to the success of the campaign.

More than 3.4 million brakes have been inspected since the program’s inception in 1998.

Brake Safety Week is part of the Operation Airbrake program sponsored by CVSA in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

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The use of a hand-held mobile telephone means:

• Using at least one hand to hold a mobile phone to make a call;
• Dialing a mobile phone by pressing more than a single button; or
• Reaching for a mobile phone in a manner that requires a driver to maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position, restrained by a seat belt.

What does this rule mean to drivers and carriers?

• Fines and Penalties – Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a CMV can result in driver disqualification. Penalties can be up to $2,750 for drivers and up to $11,000 for employers who allow or require drivers to use a hand-held communications device while driving.
• Disqualification – Multiple violations of the prohibition of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving a CMV can result in a driver disqualification by FMCSA. Multiple violations of State laws prohibiting use of a mobile phone while driving a CMV is a serious traffic violation that could result in a disqualification by a State of drivers required to have a Commercial Drivers License.
• What are the risks? – Using a hand-held mobile phone is risky because it requires the driver to reach for and dial the phone to make a call. Reaching for a phone out of the driver’s immediate area is risky as well as dialing because these actions take the driver’s eyes off the roadway.
• The rule applies to drivers operating a commercial motor vehicle on a roadway, including moving forward or temporarily stationary because of traffic, traffic control devices, or other momentary delays.
• A mounted phone is acceptable as long as it is mounted close to the driver.
• Impact on Safety Measurement System (SMS) Results – Violations negatively impact SMS results, and they carry the maximum severity weight.

Compliance

Make sure the mobile telephone is within close enough proximity that it is operable while the driver is restrained by properly installed and adjusted seat belts.

• Use an earpiece or the speaker phone function.
• Use voice-activated dialing.
• Use the hands-free feature. To comply, a driver must have his or her mobile telephone located where he or she is able to initiate, answer, or terminate a call by touching a single button. The driver must be in the seated driving position and properly restrained by a seat belt. Drivers are not in compliance if they unsafely reach for a mobile phone, even if they intend to use the hands-free function.

No Call, No Text, No Ticket!

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• Remain vigilant in managing Hours of Service.
• Slow down and be cautious in adverse weather such as rain, sleet, snow, fog and wind.
• Minimize distractions.
  • Wait until parked to use hand-held devices.
• Plan alternate routes and allow for extra time in case of road closures.
• Always buckle up; safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent.

Vehicle Maintenance:

• Maintain tire traction and health with Tire Pressure Monitoring and Trailer Tire Inflation Alert; in one of 11 crashes, there was an issue with a tire before the crash occurred.
• Look for uneven patterns on tires, these are a great indicator of uneven wear caused by poor alignment, worn bearings and/or kingpin wear (steering axle).
• Look for steam or melted snow coming off wheel hubs, as this could be a signal for over-heating wheel bearings.
• Check battery charge and windshield wipers, keep windows clean for maximum visibility, monitor anti-freeze levels and put no-freeze fluid in the washer reserve.
• Use white snow to check for fluid leaks after you have been parked for a while.

Driver Health:

• Keep extra water and non-perishable food in the cab; dehydration and malnourishment can cause weakness, dizziness, confusion, sluggishness, fainting and more.
• Use sun sleeves, window covers, sunglasses and protective clothing in daylight to avoid the deceptive winter glare.
• Be wary of seasonal affective disorder, a common ailment in which reduced sunlight negatively affects mood and other mental health issues.

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Once again it’s time for Operation Safe Driver, the CVSA sponsored safety blitz. The weeklong program this year will run from October 18^th through October 24^th.

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