What 392.14-D means in plain language
FMCSR 392.14-D addresses a fundamental safety principle: when weather or atmospheric conditions make the road dangerous, you must respond by either slowing down significantly or pulling over to stop. The regulation covers conditions like snow, ice, sleet, fog, mist, rain, dust, and smoke—situations where the road surface or visibility becomes compromised enough that "extreme caution" is no longer optional.
The violation doesn't say you can never drive in these conditions. It says you cannot drive at normal highway speed when conditions demand it. If a trooper or inspector cites you for 392.14-D, they observed you maintaining speed despite conditions that required a material reduction or a stop. This is different from violating a speed limit sign; it's about matching your speed to the actual road state.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across 13 million inspections in our database, 392.14-D ranks #1092 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. Over the last 12 months, we recorded 152 citations for this violation. In the last 90 days alone, that rose to 43 citations, showing a seasonal spike that aligns with winter weather patterns.
The good news: 392.14-D has an out-of-service rate of 1.7%. That means only 5 of the 300 all-time citations resulted in the vehicle being placed out of service on the spot. For perspective, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate is 31.4%, so 392.14-D citations are far less likely to ground your truck immediately. However, the citation still carries a CSA severity weight of 5, meaning it will count against your Safety Management System (SMS) profile and your carrier's rating.
Monthly data shows a clear winter surge: December 2025 had 36 citations, January 2026 had 23, and February 2026 saw 19 citations with a spike to 5 out-of-service placements that month—a 26.3% OOS rate—suggesting that severe winter conditions in February triggered stricter enforcement.
Who gets cited most
Our records show Wisconsin leads with 29 citations over the last 180 days, followed by Wyoming with 13, and Pennsylvania with 9. Notably, Wisconsin and Wyoming both maintained a 0.0% out-of-service rate, while Massachusetts—with 7 citations—had a starkly different pattern: 5 of those 7 drivers were placed out of service (71.4% OOS rate). This variation suggests that Massachusetts enforcement during winter conditions is more aggressive about removing vehicles from service, whereas northern states accustomed to snow may issue warnings or citations without the immediate safety hold.
Among carriers, our data shows fleets such as JES Trans Inc, Swift Transportation Co of Arizona, and XPO Logistics Freight with citations for this violation, each appearing 2 times in our all-time records. No single carrier dominates the 392.14-D violation landscape, indicating this is a driver-behavior issue rather than a fleet-wide pattern.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
392.14-D sits in the Unsafe Driving category, and our data reveals dramatic differences among related codes. The most frequently cited peer violation is 392.2 (Operating a CMV while ill or fatigued), which accounts for over 1.2 million citations with a 0.8% OOS rate. That code vastly outpaces 392.14-D in volume, suggesting drowsiness and fatigue enforcement is far more common than weather-condition enforcement.
Within the same category, 392.2-SLLSR (ill or fatigued) has 191,232 citations with a 0.1% OOS rate, and 392.2-SLLEQP (ill or fatigued) has 72,352 citations but a notably higher 2.4% OOS rate. Compared to these, 392.14-D's 1.7% OOS rate places it in the middle—more likely to trigger an out-of-service action than most fatigue violations, but far less severe than certain vehicle defect or maintenance codes.
How to avoid it
Based on common violations that co-occur with 392.14-D on the same inspections, here are the key actions:
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Slow down proactively when visibility or traction degrades. Do not wait for an inspector to tell you the road is unsafe. If you see rain, fog, dust, or ice forming, reduce speed before conditions worsen. The violation is specifically about failing to adjust speed to match conditions.
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Perform a pre-trip brake and lighting inspection every morning, especially in winter. Our data shows 393.203B (loose or broken cab mounts) and 393.203E (missing or unsecured bumpers) appear together with 392.14-D citations. A vehicle with compromised structural integrity is far more likely to skid or lose control in wet or icy conditions.
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Do not operate while fatigued. Five of the last 90 days' co-occurring violations were 392.2 (ill or fatigued). Fatigue impairs your ability to react to hazardous conditions, and combining fatigue with poor weather creates a double violation risk.
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Verify your medical certificate is valid and in the FMCSR files. Two co-occurring citations involved missing medical certificates (391.41APC). If you're not medically cleared, you have no business behind the wheel in any condition.
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Check your fuel system for leaks during pre-trip. 396.5B-L (fuel system leak) co-occurs with 392.14-D. A fuel leak can ignite under certain conditions, and wet weather increases electrical and thermal risks.
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Pull over if conditions exceed safe operating speed. The regulation does not forbid driving in rain or snow; it requires you to stop if you cannot safely drive slowly enough. If you cannot see the road ahead or if your truck is sliding, stopping is not a failure—it's the legal requirement.