Pennsylvania State Police Participate in National Brake Safety Week

More than 300 Commercial Vehicles Placed Out of Service

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania State Police recently conducted a one-day, statewide inspection of commercial motor vehicles, finding enough violations to place more than one-quarter of the trucks out of service.

During "Operation Air Brake,'' state troopers, along with municipal police officers and members of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, inspected 1,444 commercial motor vehicles. A total of 317 vehicles and 60 drivers were placed out of service.

"As Pennsylvania's roadways become more crowded, it's important that everyone safely share the road and ensure that the equipment, especially brakes, are operating in excellent condition," State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan said.  "We are committed to reducing the number of crashes that involve commercial motor vehicles by putting those that that are not safe out of service."

The enforcement effort, held across the state on Sept. 14, found at least one driver or vehicle safety deficiency in 67 percent of the inspections conducted. Officers issued 1,103 traffic citations and handed out 2,074 written warnings.

"Under ideal conditions, the braking capacity of trucks is twice as far as cars,'' Noonan said. "When large vehicles have brakes that are out of adjustment, it reduces their ability to stop. This increases the risk to other motorists on the road and the driver of the vehicle itself."

"Operation Air Brake" is part of a national Brake Safety Awareness Week campaign aimed at improving vehicle brake safety throughout North America. Officers conduct roadside inspections and educate drivers, mechanics and others on the importance of proper brake inspection, maintenance and operation.

The inspection operation is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, an organization whose membership includes law enforcement officials, truck and bus companies, industry associations and insurance companies in the United States, Canada and Mexico.  More information about the organization is available at www.cvsa.org.

Editor's Note: Contact the press office for a photo of a state trooper conducting a brake inspection. Following is a breakdown, by state police troop area, of the number of inspections; number of vehicles/drivers placed out of service; and citations/warnings issued by state police during the one-day effort:

• Troop A (Cambria, Indiana, Somerset and Westmoreland counties), 86 inspections; 18 vehicles out of service; no drivers out of service; 24 citations; 129 warnings;
• Troop B (Allegheny, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties), 103 inspections; 19 vehicles out of service; one driver out of service; 62 citations; 139 warnings.
• Troop C (Clarion, Clearfield, Forest, Elk, Jefferson and McKean counties), 122 inspections; 25 vehicles out of service; two drivers out of service; 70 citations; 285 warnings.
• Troop D (Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence and Mercer counties), 125 inspections; 11 vehicles out of service; four drivers out of service; 67 citations; 94 warnings.
• Troop E (Crawford, Erie, Venango and Warren counties), 68 inspections; 18 vehicles out of service; two drivers out of service; 50 citations; 106 warnings.
• Troop F (Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Union and Tioga counties), 78 inspections; 16 vehicles out of service; five drivers out of service; 81 citations; 108 warnings.
• Troop G (Bedford, Blair, Centre, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin counties), 125 inspections; 22 vehicles out of service; three drivers out of service; 69 citations; 89 warnings.
• Troop H (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry and York counties), 68 inspections; 24 vehicles out of service; four drivers out of service; 43 citations; 99 warnings.
• Troop J (Chester and Lancaster counties), 82 inspections; 14 vehicles out of service; five drivers out of service; 55 citations; 107 warnings.
• Troop K (Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties), 66 inspections; nine vehicles out of service; three drivers out of service; 51 citations; 92 warnings.
• Troop L (Berks, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties), 62 inspections; 11 vehicles out of service; one driver out of service; 35 citations; 66 warnings.
• Troop M (Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties), 37 inspections; 13 vehicles out of service; five drivers out of service; 41 citations; 82 warnings.
• Troop N (Carbon, Columbia, Monroe and part of Luzerne counties), 44 inspections; 15 vehicles out of service; five drivers out of service; 105 citations; 43 warnings.
• Troop P (Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming and part of Luzerne counties), 24 inspections; nine vehicles out of service; no drivers out of service; 27 citations; 37 warnings.
• Troop R (Lackawanna, Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne counties), 48 inspections; 16 vehicles out of service; three drivers out of service; 62 citations; 118 warnings.
• Troop T (Pennsylvania Turnpike), 108 inspections; 27 vehicles out of service; eight drivers out of service; 161 citations; 208 warnings.

Media contacts: Maria A. Finn or Sgt. Anthony Manetta, 717-783-5556

SOURCE Pennsylvania State Police Department