What 393.25(f) means in plain language
This regulation addresses a straightforward but easy-to-overlook situation: when cargo, a tailboard, or any other obstruction blocks the required rear lamps or reflectors on your commercial motor vehicle, you are in violation. The rule exists because those rear lights are the primary signal to following traffic that your truck is there, slowing, or stopped — especially at night or in low-visibility conditions.
The key word in the regulation is "obscured." You don't have to have a broken lamp to get cited under 393.25(f). The lamps can be fully functional and you can still receive this citation if a load extending past the tailgate, an improperly positioned load board, or any bolt-on obstruction is blocking what drivers behind you need to see.
In practical terms, this means that every time you pick up a load — particularly a long, wide, or unusual piece of cargo — you need to physically walk to the rear of your vehicle before leaving the shipper's dock and verify that every required rear lamp and reflector is clearly visible and unobstructed.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our database of 13 million+ inspections, 393.25(f) has generated 5,457 all-time citations, placing it at #325 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. That puts it in roughly the top 11% of all cited codes — not a fringe violation, but also not among the highest-volume citations inspectors write.
The out-of-service picture here is worth paying attention to. Although 393.25(f) is not an OOS-eligible violation in the formal sense, our inspection records show that 1,617 of those 5,457 citations — 29.6% — resulted in the vehicle being placed out of service. That figure sits just below the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%, so inspectors are acting on this at a rate very close to the broader average across all federal codes. Do not assume a non-OOS-eligible designation means you will roll away from every inspection.
On recent enforcement activity: our data shows zero citations issued in the last 90 days and zero in the last 12 months. That drop-off in recent activity is worth noting — it may reflect changes in inspection prioritization — but the all-time record is real, and inspectors absolutely have written this violation thousands of times.
Who gets cited most
Our inspection records do not include a state-by-state breakdown for this code in the current data snapshot, so we will not speculate on which states lead enforcement. What the data does show clearly is which fleets have accumulated citations.
Among carriers in our database, J B Hunt Transport Inc (USDOT 80806) leads with 19 citations all-time. Central Transport LLC (USDOT 661173) follows with 18 citations, and Evans Delivery Company Inc (USDOT 38111) has recorded 15 citations. Our data shows fleets such as Swift Transportation Co of Arizona LLC (USDOT 54283) with 14 citations and US Xpress Inc (USDOT 303024) with 13 citations have also accumulated meaningful totals.
These are large carriers running high volumes of equipment — the citation counts reflect exposure, not necessarily poor safety culture. But for fleet safety managers, the takeaway is clear: even professionally managed, high-compliance fleets accumulate these citations at scale, which means the risk is real across any operation that regularly hauls cargo that extends toward or past the rear of the vehicle.
Looking at vehicle makes, Freightliner (FRHT) leads with 300 citations, followed by Peterbilt (PTRB) at 202 and International (INTL) at 184. Kenworth (KW) accounts for 177 citations. If your fleet runs any of these platforms — and most large fleets do — your drivers are operating the exact equipment types most commonly cited under this code.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
To put 393.25(f)'s 5,457 all-time citations in context, compare it to its peer codes in the Vehicle Maintenance category.
The closest lighting-related peer is 393.9(a), covering inoperable required lamps, which has accumulated 660,737 citations — more than 120 times the volume of 393.25(f). Its OOS rate sits at 15.4%, well below the 29.6% this code carries. That comparison tells an interesting story: inspectors write inoperable lamp violations constantly, but those violations are less likely to put a driver out of service than an obscured lamp situation.
Another major peer is 396.3(a)(1), the general inspection, repair, and maintenance code, with 236,919 citations and a 45.3% OOS rate. That code casts a much wider net and carries significantly higher OOS risk. A third peer worth noting is 393.11, covering lighting devices and reflectors broadly, with 179,734 citations and an OOS rate of just 1.8% — far lower than 393.25(f)'s rate, suggesting that when an inspector specifically identifies an obscured lamp rather than a general lighting deficiency, the outcome tends to be more serious.
The CSA severity weight for 393.25(f) is 3, which is on the lower end of the scale. However, combined with the 29.6% historical OOS rate, this is not a citation to brush off.
How to avoid it
Every one of the following actions can be completed before the wheels turn. Build these into your pre-trip and you will almost certainly never see this citation.
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Walk the full rear perimeter after loading. Before leaving any shipper, physically position yourself 20–30 feet behind your vehicle and visually confirm that all tail lamps, brake lamps, and rear reflectors are fully visible with no portion blocked by the cargo, load boards, straps, tarps, or the tailboard itself.
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Check load shift at every stop. Cargo that was properly positioned when you left the dock can shift during transit. Any fuel or rest stop is an opportunity to do a quick rear-lamp visibility check before re-entering traffic.
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Give extra attention on flatbed and open-deck loads. Our citation data shows TRLR-type vehicles with 120 citations and specialized trailer makes such as Great Dane (GDAN) at 72 citations. Open-deck and flatbed configurations carrying long or wide freight are the highest-risk load types for this violation because the cargo itself becomes the obstruction.
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Verify lamp clearance after securing tarps. Tarps pulled tight over rear cargo are one of the most common sources of lamp obscurement. After you tie down a tarp, walk to the rear and confirm no material is draped over or covering any lamp or reflector housing.
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Note it on your DVIR if you see a potential issue. If a load configuration makes full lamp visibility marginal, document it on your Driver Vehicle Inspection Report before departure. This creates a record that you identified and flagged the condition, and it prompts dispatch to address re-loading or load configuration before the next trip.
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Freightliner, Peterbilt, International, and Kenworth drivers: know your lamp locations cold. These four makes account for the overwhelming share of 393.25(f) citations in our database. Each platform positions rear lamp clusters differently — know exactly where yours are so you know precisely what to check.