LANSING - During the week of September 6-12, The Michigan State Police will be taking part in national Brake Safety Week. Brake Safety Week is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, and while some states are simply promoting awareness, the Michigan State Police will be stepping up their enforcement.

“What we’re actually doing is a whole week of targeted enforcement,” said Michigan State Police Lt. Steven Horwood.

Besides regular traffic enforcement, officers throughout every district in the state will be taking commercial vehicles to safe locations and doing full inspections.

Brake Systems on commercial vehicles can be complicated, which is why besides removing unsafe vehicles from the road, Horwood hopes the stops will teach many drivers about brake safety.

“It’s a cooperative measure between the industry and law enforcement,” says Horwood. “When we stop somebody, we try to use that as an education tool.”

The week is also part of the campaign Toward Zero Deaths, which works to bring the number of traffic deaths down to zero.