What 393.102A1II means in plain language
When you're stopped at roadside, an inspector is looking at whether your vehicle has proper equipment to keep it from rolling backward when parked or stopped on an incline. This includes devices like parking brakes, wheel chocks, or other mechanisms designed to hold the vehicle in place against gravity.
The regulation requires that you maintain functioning equipment capable of preventing rearward movement. If an inspector determines your vehicle lacks sufficient means to do this—whether because a brake is inoperative, a chock system is missing or broken, or some other restraint device is inadequate—you'll receive a citation.
This is a maintenance issue, not a safety violation that automatically triggers an out-of-service order. That said, the fix is straightforward: ensure your parking brake is operational and that any equipment meant to prevent rollback is in working condition before you leave the lot.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Our inspection records show this is one of the least-cited violations in the FMCSR database. Across 13 million inspections, we've recorded only 20 all-time citations for 393.102A1II, ranking it #1938 of 3,036 codes by enforcement volume.
In the last 12 months, inspectors issued 9 citations. Over the past 90 days, only 2 citations appeared in our database.
Of the 20 all-time citations, 8 resulted in an out-of-service placement, giving this code a 40.0% OOS rate. That's higher than the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%, meaning when this violation is cited, it's somewhat more likely to ground your truck than the typical FMCSR violation. However, the small citation volume means most drivers will never encounter this code at all.
Who gets cited most
Over the last 180 days, citations for 393.102A1II appeared in just two states:
- North Carolina: 2 citations, 0 out-of-service placements (0.0% OOS rate)
- Illinois: 1 citation, 1 out-of-service placement (100.0% OOS rate)
The enforcement pattern is sparse enough that regional trends are difficult to establish. However, the data in our database indicates that when this violation does appear in Illinois, it's treated more severely than in North Carolina.
Looking at carriers, our inspection records show fleets such as Pickwick Construction Inc (USDOT 1887010) with 2 citations, followed by nine other carriers with 1 citation each. These numbers reflect enforcement counts, not patterns of non-compliance, and are consistent with the very low citation volume overall.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.102A1II sits in the lower tier of enforcement frequency:
- 393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps: 660,737 citations, 15.4% OOS rate
- 396.3(a)(1) — Inspection/repair/maintenance (general): 236,919 citations, 45.3% OOS rate
- 393.47E — Slack adjuster defective: 180,363 citations, 0.0% OOS rate
The contrast is stark. A lamp defect generates tens of thousands of citations per year; brake-related maintenance issues like slack adjusters are cited 180,000+ times. By comparison, insufficient means to prevent rearward movement is cited only 20 times in our entire dataset. When it is cited, however, the 40.0% OOS rate suggests inspectors view the defect as material enough to stop the vehicle roughly 2 out of 5 times—a rate that exceeds the general maintenance baseline.
How to avoid it
Based on the patterns in our inspection data, here are concrete steps to prevent a 393.102A1II citation:
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Test your parking brake before every shift. Set it on level ground, then attempt to move the truck gently forward or backward. If the vehicle creeps or rolls, the brake is not holding. Do not depart until it's repaired.
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Inspect wheel chocks if your vehicle uses them. If you carry chocks for parking on inclines, verify they're present and in good condition. Chocks should not be cracked, split, or missing material that prevents them from wedging under a wheel.
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Coordinate parking-brake work with scheduled maintenance. Across our inspection records, cargo securement violations and duty-status record issues sometimes appear alongside rearward-movement citations. This suggests that incomplete pre-trip walkarounds may mask multiple defects. Allocate time for a thorough inspection.
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Know your vehicle's brake design. International and trailer units appear most frequently in our citation data for this code. If you drive one of these makes, familiarize yourself with how its parking brake engages. Some systems require full engagement; others may feel slack until fully set. Understand your truck's normal feel.
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Document your pre-trip inspection. Record that you tested the parking brake and verified rearward restraint. If cited, this log proves you were checking. It also creates a habit of consistent, deliberate verification before each trip.