CVSA’s Brake Safety Week in 2025 is August 24-30. During that week, law enforcement personnel across North America will conduct commercial motor vehicle inspections, educate drivers and motor carriers about the importance of brake safety, and provide brake inspection and violation data to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).

But while this annual event is a crucial reminder of the importance of vehicle maintenance, it does beg the question: Is one week enough to ensure safety for the whole year?

Our answer: safety should be held to a higher standard all year round. This is why EROAD has partnered with Fleetpal to make continuous, connected fleet safety and maintenance management more achievable for more fleets.

One week of safety checks can’t cover the other 51 weeks on the road

Consider this: 12.8% of vehicles (numbering over 2,100) inspected during Brake Safety Week 2024 were found to have had problems severe enough to take them out of service. If that many unsafe vehicles were detected in just one week, imagine how many slip through the cracks the rest of the year.

A better approach: monitor vehicle wear and tear and plan for maintenance according to usage, instead of sticking with set servicing dates to get you through inspections. This proactive approach means:

• Less downtime from unexpected breakdowns
• Slashed maintenance costs, as issues are addressed before they snowball
• Improved compliance and audit-readiness at all times

Staying ahead in today’s industry means doing more than checking boxes once a year. With continuous safety oversight, you’re building a fleet that’s more efficient, reliable, and prepared for whatever is around the bend.

Making year-round safety monitoring work for you

Boosting fleet safety doesn’t have to mean overhauling your entire operation. In fact, many of the tools you need—like vehicle sensors, fault-code alerts, and digital maintenance logs—are probably already in place.

The key is connecting the dots and letting technology do the heavy lifting.

1. 1. Smarter data collection from vehicle sensors and telematics
      Modern vehicles are already collecting data on vehicle performance, engine diagnostics, and trailer conditions. With the right telematics system, that information can be captured and analyzed to create the foundation for your safety protocols.
   2. Centralized digital maintenance records
      Keeping everything in one centralized platform simplifies audits, inspections, and internal reviews. No more chasing paperwork or relying on memory, especially when the stakes are high.
   3. Systems integration for a more complete picture
      When your maintenance, telematics, and compliance tools speak to each other, you unlock a new level of visibility. From the back office to the shop floor, everyone has access to the same up-to-date information.

This end-to-end visibility is what motivated the EROAD-Fleetpal partnership. As Robert L. Tri, SVP Sales at EROAD, says, “By integrating [EROAD] telematics data with Fleetpal’s maintenance platform, we’re delivering a truly unified solution that streamlines workflows, reduces downtime, and lowers costs for our customers.”

Weaving better safety practices into your daily operations

Safety monitoring tech is only as effective as the people using it. To get the most out of your systems, your team needs to embrace a safety-first approach that’s built on clear communication. As Fleetpal CEO Mike Valnev puts it, “[We are] dedicated to making fleet maintenance simple, transparent, and effective. Maintenance managed with Fleetpal is a critical step to fostering a culture of safety and compliance year-round.”

Here’s how that plays out on the ground:

Drivers are your eyes and ears on the road, so it’s important that they are given a strong voice. This begins with regular safety briefings that keep everyone aligned and creating open channels for reporting vehicle issues without fear of blame or delay. When drivers know their observations matter, they become your first line of defense.

Technicians, for their part, bridge the gap between detecting issues and resolving them. Instead of reacting to issues as they come, equipping them with telematics data and digital maintenance logs lets them solve problems quickly and prioritize vehicle repairs.

Dispatchers also play a key role in safety. With visibility into vehicle health and safety trends, they can make smarter decisions about routing, scheduling, and asset utilization. If a vehicle is flagged with a potential issue, dispatchers can take it off the road before it becomes a risk.

From annual checks to everyday excellence

Brake Safety Week is the wake-up call that shows just how much can go wrong when no one’s looking. The real challenge is making sure that someone always is. But without the right tools and philosophy in place, even the most well-intentioned safety programs can fall short – bogged down by disconnected systems and miscommunication.

The EROAD-Fleetpal partnership breaks down the silos that get in the way of a unified safety strategy. By bringing data together in one place, fleets can break free from reactive cycles and build a more resilient strategy that lasts well beyond Brake Safety Week.

The EROAD and Fleetpal integration is available now for new and existing customers. Contact us to learn how to get started.