Heavy vehicle brake testing

CoF and entry certification brake test protocol and procedure

View document: Heavy vehicle brake testing (PDF, 208 KB, 36 pages)

Like almost all other road vehicles in New Zealand, heavy vehicles are required to undergo entry inspection and a periodic safety check in the form of a Certificate of Fitness (CoF) inspection. Brake testing is a crucial part of this inspection given the critical role brakes play in overall vehicle safety. However, under the previous requirements, heavy vehicle brake performance was only tested as presented, usually unladen.

Heavy vehicle braking has been identified as a significant factor in heavy vehicle accidents. In the five years between 1997 and 2002 there were 77 heavy vehicle crashes attributed to braking. These crashes resulted in four deaths, 15 serious injuries and 34 minor injuries. This was the catalyst for the development of the Land Transport Rule: Heavy-vehicle Brakes (Rule 32015) which, among other requirements, requires heavy vehicles to be capable of stopping within 7 m from 30 km/h in all conditions of loading. This equates to a minimum brake performance of 0.5 g as measured on an approved roller brake machine (RBM). The target for all heavy vehicle operators should be significantly higher than this minimum and all heavy vehicles should be maintained so that their brakes will achieve the minimum performance at all times.

On 1 March 2007, this rule came into force. Section 2.4 of the rule requires that the brakes of all heavy vehicles be tested in a way that directly or indirectly evaluates performance in all conditions of loading. The aim is to increase safety in the heavy vehicle fleet by minimising braking faults and thus reducing accidents (social costs).

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has worked with the inspection industry, heavy vehicle operators and other transport users to determine the most efficient brake testing regime for New Zealand’s diverse heavy vehicle fleet. This consultation process resulted in the HVBR Implementation Plan.

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Last updated: 6 November 2009