Infrared cameras spot bad truck brakes

LA BAJADA, N.M. (KRQE) - Every day 18-wheelers weighing as much as 80,000 pounds barrel down the road, some with bad brakes state transportation cops can now spot with a high-tech tool.

New Mexico Transportation Division officers recently added to their arsenal a van equipped with an infrared camera. It displays heat and can tell a lot about trucks routed off the highway for inspection.

The hotter a part of the truck, the whiter the image; the cooler it is, the darker it appears on the monitor.

So wheel displayed as white are hot and show the brakes were working. If a wheel appears cold, the brakes didn't engage.

An officer then checks underneath the big rig to check it out.

Since it takes the length of a football field to stop a semi truck, it's imperative to make sure trucks' brakes are not faulty.

"If every brake on the vehicle isn't working properly, it could be a disaster." MDT Capt. Chris Mayrant told KRQE News 13.

MTD officers said the infrared camera typically inspects 300 trucks a day. Police pull 10 percent or 30 trucks out of service because of defective brakes.

If officers find a truck is in violation, they can ticket the driver and also go after the trucking company.