Direct answers about improper rear reflective material citations: OOS rates, repair urgency, state enforcement, and what happens next.
Ranks #1,038 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 0.0% is below the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
Improper Lower Rear Placement of retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflective material requirements for vehicles manufactured before December 1993
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
No. Across our inspection records, 393.13D2 citations have never resulted in an out-of-service placement—the OOS rate is 0.0%. All 364 citations in our database were non-OOS violations. This is a significant difference from the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%, meaning this violation alone won't ground your truck. However, you may still face other co-occurring defects that could trigger OOS status.
First, do a full vehicle walk-around. In the last 90 days, 393.13D2 most often appears alongside inoperable required lamps (27 shared inspections) and brake tubing/hose issues (16 shared inspections). Check your lighting, brake lines, and windshield condition before your next inspection. Document the repair receipt and keep it in your logbook. Then contact your carrier's safety team to flag the citation and coordinate compliance documentation.
No, 393.13D2 is relatively minor. Its 0.0% OOS rate is well below the national average of 31.4% and significantly lower than peer codes like brake adjuster defects (0.0%) or windshield damage (0.3%). However, it ranks #1025 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, meaning it's not commonly enforced. The low frequency and zero OOS rate indicate inspectors treat it as a correctable maintenance issue, not a safety-critical violation.
Texas dominates enforcement of this violation. In the last 180 days, our inspection records show 122 citations in Texas, with zero OOS placements. New Mexico had 2 citations and Illinois had 1. The concentration in Texas suggests this is primarily enforced during border-zone operations and in cross-border carrier inspections, reflecting the vehicle types and routes subject to scrutiny in that region.
Moderately urgent, but not emergency-level. Our 90-day trend shows steady enforcement: 55 citations in the last quarter, averaging roughly 18 per month. The citation itself won't ground your truck, but repeated violations or failure to document repairs can trigger carrier compliance issues and CSA severity points. Repair retroreflective sheeting placement within 7–10 days and submit documentation to your safety officer.
Yes, you can file a DataQs record dispute (RDR) if you believe the citation is factually incorrect or improperly documented. For retroreflective material violations, you have the strongest case if you can prove the material meets the standard and was properly placed on the vehicle at the time of inspection. Gather photos from before the inspection, maintenance records, and the specific regulation citation from the inspector's report. Submit through FMCSA's DataQs portal within the filing window.
Freightliners lead by a large margin: 92 citations across our database. Kenworths follow with 60, Utilities (trailers) with 50, and Peterbilts with 44. This pattern reflects which vehicle models are most prevalent in high-enforcement areas like Texas border operations. If you drive one of these makes, budget for periodic reflective material inspections as part of routine pre-trip maintenance.
The citation is recorded against the carrier (USDOT number and company safety record). However, the inspection event and any resulting CSA severity points feed into both the carrier's safety profile and the driver's records through FMCSA's Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. For drivers, this means the violation affects your carrier's metrics; for fleets, it impacts your Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs) and roadside safety rank.
Where 393.13D2 is most commonly cited (last 180 days)
Other violations commonly found on the same inspection (last 90 days)
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.