What 393.11A1-CSURR means in plain language
This citation comes down to one straightforward problem: your commercial motor vehicle was operating without the required lighting equipment or reflectors in place and working correctly. Whether something is missing entirely or simply inadequate for the standard required, the inspector has the authority to write it up.
The rule covers a broad range of equipment — think marker lights, clearance lights, reflectors on trailers, and any other lighting hardware the regulations require to be present on your rig. It's not limited to lights that have burned out mid-trip; it also captures situations where a reflector is broken, improperly mounted, or absent altogether.
The important distinction with this specific sub-code (393.11A1-CSURR) is that it targets surface-level reflector and lighting device compliance — the physical presence and condition of those components — rather than simply whether a lamp is functional at the moment of inspection. If a reflector has been knocked off the trailer and never replaced, this is the code an inspector reaches for.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our inspection records, 393.11A1-CSURR has accumulated 18,270 all-time citations — and every single one of them ended without an out-of-service order. The OOS rate for this code is 0.0%, meaning no driver in our database of 18,270 citations was placed out of service for this violation alone. For context, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate across all codes is 31.4%, so this code sits dramatically below the field average.
That does not mean you should ignore it. The citation still posts to your CSA record with a severity weight of 3, and it ranks #148 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by total citation volume — meaning inspectors write it frequently. In the last 12 months alone, our records show 11,294 citations issued under this code. In just the last 90 days, 2,316 citations were recorded. That pace means roughly 25 citations are being written every single day across the country.
Looking at the monthly trend over the past year, citation volume has been consistently high, running between 823 and 1,101 citations per month from May 2025 through March 2026. There is no quiet season here — enforcement is active year-round.
Who gets cited most
Over the last 180 days, Arizona leads all states with 1,120 citations under this code, followed by California with 541 citations and Kansas with 344 citations. Washington and New York round out the top five at 294 and 285 citations respectively. The OOS rate across all of these states is 0.0%, so there is no meaningful variation to flag — no state is using this code as a hook to pull drivers out of service.
The geographic concentration in Arizona is notable. With more than double the citations of second-ranked California, Arizona inspectors are clearly prioritizing lighting and reflector compliance at a higher rate than the national field average. If your routes take you through AZ, treat this as a heads-up.
Among carriers, our data shows fleets such as EVANS DELIVERY COMPANY INC (USDOT 38111) with 42 all-time citations and DANIEL ERNESTO PENA COTA (USDOT 1647639) with 30 all-time citations appearing at the top of the carrier list. The presence of large fleets alongside owner-operators in this data confirms that lighting and reflector upkeep is a universal gap, not one limited to small operations.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, the closest peer codes help put 393.11A1-CSURR in perspective.
393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps has 660,737 all-time citations in our database and carries a 15.4% OOS rate. That's a code where inspectors regularly pull drivers off the road. By comparison, 393.11A1-CSURR's 0.0% OOS rate reflects that a missing reflector is treated differently than a lamp that isn't functioning at all.
393.11 — Lighting devices/reflectors (the parent code) shows 179,734 citations and a 1.8% OOS rate. Our specific sub-code, 393.11A1-CSURR, with its 0.0% OOS rate, sits below even that parent-level average, suggesting that inspectors issuing this specific sub-code are consistently choosing to cite rather than sideline.
396.3(a)(1) — Inspection/repair/maintenance - general is the starkest contrast: 236,919 citations and a 45.3% OOS rate. That code is nearly a coin flip for an OOS order. The 393.11A1-CSURR experience is fundamentally different — you keep rolling, but the CSA points follow you.
The takeaway for fleet managers: this code is a high-frequency, low-severity-per-incident violation that accumulates quietly. Thirty citations across a fleet may not trigger an OOS crisis, but they build SMS scores steadily.
How to avoid it
The co-occurring violation pattern in our data tells a clear story about what inspectors find when they're already looking at your lighting. When 393.11A1-CSURR is cited, the same inspections frequently also show 393.9A codes for inoperable required lamps (229 to 174 shared inspections across sub-codes), no proof of periodic inspection at 423 shared inspections, and windshield condition issues at 270 shared inspections. This means a lighting-focused inspection rarely stops at one finding.
Here are the concrete pre-trip steps that directly address this citation and its common companions:
- Walk every inch of the trailer perimeter before departure. Check that all reflectors — side, rear, and corner — are physically present, uncracked, and mounted flush. Pay extra attention to the rear lower corners where road debris most often damages or knocks off reflectors.
- Test all required lamps while the trailer is connected and powered. The 229–174 shared inspections with inoperable lamp codes (393.9A variants) show that missing reflectors and dead bulbs frequently coexist on the same unit. Fix both in the same stop.
- Carry spare reflectors and common bulbs in your cab. Reflectors are inexpensive and small. There is no roadside fix faster than swapping a broken one before the inspection begins.
- Verify your periodic inspection documentation is on board. With 396.17C-PI appearing in 423 of the same inspections, not having proof of periodic inspection is a common second citation when an inspector is already writing lighting violations. Keep that paperwork current and accessible.
- Check Freightliner and trailer equipment especially closely. Our records show Freightliner units (FREIGHTLIN, 6,284 citations; FRHT, 1,804 citations) and common dry-van trailers from Wabash National (1,376 citations) and Great Dane (1,192 citations) dominating the cited vehicle list. If you're running this equipment, lighting and reflector maintenance deserves a dedicated line in your pre-trip checklist.
- After any dock contact or curb strike, re-inspect the affected side immediately. Reflectors on trailers are routinely clipped during backing maneuvers. Don't wait until the next morning's pre-trip to find out something is missing.