Saskatchewan Highway Patrol officers removed over 100 commercial vehicles from service during Operation Air Brake, a 72-hour enforcement initiative focused on commercial vehicle brake safety.
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From Aug. 25-27, officers completed 294 inspections at the Beverly Weigh Scale near Swift Current, with more than one in three vehicles placed out of service for safety violations, the province announced.
Most violations involved brake component or brake adjustment defects.
“Operation Air Brake removed commercial vehicles unfit for operation on Saskatchewan highways,” community safety minister Michael Weger said. “The fact that more than one in three inspected vehicles were placed out of service demonstrates why these targeted traffic safety enforcement initiatives are so important.”
103 vehicles taken off the road
The operation ran continuously for 72 hours and involved 39 Saskatchewan Highway Patrol officers, with support from the RCMP, SGI and Ministry of Finance revenue investigators.
Together, enforcement personnel conducted 294 commercial vehicle inspections, focusing on brake systems and other critical safety equipment.
A total of 103 commercial vehicles were placed out of service, including 62 with brake component or brake adjustment defects.
An out-of-service designation means a vehicle has a serious safety defect that must be repaired before it can return to the road.
Part of annual North American effort
Operation Air Brake was held as part of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week.
CVSA is a non-profit organization that brings together enforcement agencies across North America to inspect commercial vehicles, promote industry education and remove unsafe vehicles from roadways.
“Brakes are among the most critical safety systems on a commercial vehicle,” according to the province. “Operation Air Brake’s high out-of-service rate highlights the ongoing need for inspections, education and compliance efforts to prevent collisions and improve safety.”
The high rate of brake-related defects comes as Saskatchewan increased funding for highway patrol operations earlier this year.
Revenue enforcement also conducted
During joint check stops, revenue investigators reviewed documentation and inspected fuel and cargo to verify compliance with provincial tax requirements, including fuel tax, tobacco tax and provincial sales tax legislation.
“Every unsafe vehicle removed from the road helps reduce risks for families, workers and everyone travelling on provincial highways,” Weger said. “Safe highways save lives.”
Through enforcement, education and industry partnerships, Saskatchewan will continue to support safer highways and the safe movement of people and goods throughout the province, the government said.
Previous traffic enforcement initiatives have also focused on commercial vehicle safety in the region.
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