FMCSR 393.24(a): Projecting Load Lighting & Marking — Q&A

Almost certainly not. Across 2,451 all-time citations for 393.24(a) in our inspection records, only 17 vehicles were actually placed out of service — an OOS rate of just 0.7%. For context, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate is 31.4%, making this code one of the least likely to ground your truck on the spot. Inspectors typically write the citation and let you roll, but that does not mean you can ignore it — the violation still hits your CSA record and can compound if you're re-inspected with the same deficiency uncorrected.

A 393.24(a) citation carries a severity weight of 3 in the CSA scoring system. That base score is then multiplied by a time-weight factor — violations from the most recent 6 months count at full value, those from 7–12 months back are reduced, and anything beyond 2 years ages off entirely. Because this code falls under the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, it affects both the carrier's BASIC percentile and the driver's individual record. A single citation at severity 3 is relatively low impact on its own, but repeated citations stack quickly within the same BASIC.

Take these steps immediately:

1. Document the load as-is — photograph the projecting material and any marking/lighting that is present or missing before moving anything.
2. Correct the deficiency before your next dispatch — add the required lamps or flags/markers to the projecting load.
3. Notify your fleet safety manager — the citation attaches to both your record and the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.
4. Retain your inspection report (form MCS-63) — you'll need it if you contest through DataQs.
5. Check for co-occurring violations — our records show this citation rarely travels alone; inspect all lighting on the vehicle before the next run.

Relative to its peers, 393.24(a) is a low-frequency, low-OOS-rate code. Our inspection records show 2,451 all-time citations, ranking it #492 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by volume — well below high-volume peers in the same Vehicle Maintenance category. For comparison, 393.9(a) — inoperable required lamps — has 660,737 citations and a 15.4% OOS rate, and 396.3(a)(1) carries a 45.3% OOS rate. At 0.7% OOS, 393.24(a) is far less likely to shut down a truck, but its CSA severity weight of 3 still means it costs you points every time it's written.

Yes, you can submit a DataQs Request for Data Review (RDR) to challenge a 393.24(a) finding. Because this is an equipment-based violation — whether a load was properly lit and marked — a successful challenge typically requires evidence: photographs of the load configuration at the time of inspection, the inspection report itself, or documentation showing the citation was written in error (e.g., the load did not actually project beyond the vehicle). DataQs does not guarantee removal, but equipment citations with clear photographic counter-evidence have a reasonable basis for review. Submit through the FMCSA DataQs portal using your driver or carrier credentials.

Our inspection records do not include a state-level breakdown for 393.24(a) in the current data snapshot, so we cannot name specific states by citation count for this code. What we can say is that the violation is tied to load-hauling operations broadly — the top cited vehicle makes are Freightliner (287 citations), Peterbilt (141), and Kenworth (135), which points toward long-haul and flatbed-style operations concentrated wherever those truck types are most active. Check back as our state-level data is updated regularly.

Fix it before your next trip, but the enforcement trend is quiet right now. Our records show 0 citations in the last 90 days and 0 in the last 12 months, out of 2,451 all-time citations. That said, the 0.7% OOS rate means a small number of inspectors have used their discretion to park trucks over this exact violation, so it is not zero-risk. Correcting projecting load lighting is a quick, low-cost fix — flags, reflective tape, or lamps depending on the load — and it eliminates the citation possibility entirely on future inspections.

It follows both. Under FMCSA's CSA methodology, a 393.24(a) citation is recorded against the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC and simultaneously linked to the driver's individual inspection history. The carrier's percentile rank in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC can be affected, which influences intervention thresholds. The driver record matters because it travels with the driver across employers — a future carrier running a pre-hire DAC or PSP check will see it. With a severity weight of 3 and no OOS flag on 2,434 of the 2,451 all-time citations, the practical CSA impact is modest but real for both parties.