Brake Testing 

We can brake test Cars ,Vans and HGV

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness (2014 revision) makes clear that every safety inspection must include a metered assessment of the braking performance of vehicles and trailers. It adds that a road test method to assess the brake performance for all planned safety inspections will usually be inadequate.

Where deficiencies in brake performance are identified, either during use of the vehicle or trailer or at the safety inspection, a measured brake efficiency test must be carried out. The efficiency test must confirm the brakes are performing satisfactorily before the vehicle or trailer can be considered as roadworthy.

DVSA also publishes detailed guidance on how to prepare a vehicle for the brake testing element of the MOT.

In recent cases at public inquiry, traffic commissioners have seen:

• a Barking operator with missing brake figures on PMI sheets

• a Louth operator with brake test results not added to PMI records and no evidence of periodic brake testing being carried out - the DVSA vehicle examiner also identified the use of a vehicle with a braking defect for a whole week, despite the driving identifying the defect during daily checks

• a Coddenham firm with the brake test section of PMI records not completed and 4 brake performance tests not conducted annually on each vehicle / trailer

• a London operator who failed to comply with a public inquiry undertaking to have roller brake tests carried out every 6 weeks, with PMIs

• an Ashford firm which had not subjected its vehicle to a brake test since 6 December 2016, with the brake testing section of PMI records left blank on 5 out of 7 inspections

• a Rainham business which failed to comply with a specific undertaking to have quarterly brake testing

• a London operator with ‘not applicable’ written in the brake test section of every PMI