AUBURN, Ind. (WANE)- Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers were inspecting trailers traveling north on Interstate 69 this week doing special brake test inspections for what ISP calls “Operation Pull Over”.

CVSA (Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance) started their 72 hour International Road check Tuesday to highlight the importance of driver pre- and post-trip inspections.

ISP brought in the Performance Based Brake Tester (PBBT) machine to make sure the commercial vehicle brakes are functioning properly. The PBBT is a machine that measures the brake forces at each wheel end as well as the axle or for the entire vehicle. PBBT devices include roller dynamometers (roller-dyno) and flat plate brake testers.

In the case that a commercial vehicle is pulled over and the brakes are in bad condition, they have to wait at the rest area, find a parking spot, then ISP has to bring a roadside mechanic out to adjust the brakes. They said they have only had to do that a few times this week.

When commercial vehicles are pulled over the brake checks take about an hour. Sgt. Jason Ward with ISP touched on the dangers of poor brake management.

“These things going up and down the road are 80,000 pounds and if the brakes aren’t working- it takes them a football field to stop as it is when the brakes are working properly- if the brakes aren’t working properly, their stopping distance increased, which increases the chances of somebody being hit and crushed,” Sgt. Ward said.

The next area brake inspections will be in September.