What 393.25 means in plain language
FMCSR 393.25 is about keeping your truck's rear lighting visible and functional. Federal safety rules require that the required rear lamps and reflectors on your commercial motor vehicle be unobstructed—meaning nothing from your cargo, tailboard, or other equipment should block the light or reflector from being seen by vehicles behind you.
If an inspector finds that your load, tarp, or tailboard is covering or obscuring any of these rear lights or reflectors, you can be cited for 393.25. This is a basic vehicle maintenance violation. The violation exists whether the lamps themselves work or not; the issue is simply that they cannot be seen because something is in the way.
Rear lighting is critical for road safety. Drivers behind you need to see your truck's position, size, and braking status, especially at night or in poor visibility. Even a small obstruction—a shifted pallet, loose tarp, or extended load—can block these signals and create a collision hazard.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ roadside inspection records, FMCSR 393.25 shows a notable enforcement pattern: across all time, we have recorded zero citations for obscured rear lamps. In the last 12 months, we recorded zero citations. In the last 90 days, we recorded zero citations.
Because there are no recorded enforcement events in our database, the out-of-service rate is 0.0%. This code is not OOS-eligible under the regulations, meaning even if cited, it would not result in your truck being placed out of service on the spot.
The rarity of this citation in our records does not mean the violation is uncommon on the road—it may indicate that inspectors more frequently cite related lighting codes that overlap in scope, or that many obscured-lamp situations are corrected before formal inspection occurs.
Who gets cited most
Given that our database contains zero citations for 393.25, we cannot identify state or carrier patterns for this specific code. The enforcement volume is too low to establish meaningful geographic or fleet-level trends.
If you received this citation, your case may be part of a small subset of enforcement actions that are not yet reflected in aggregate roadside inspection databases, or it may have been issued under state-specific inspection authority rather than federal FMCSR enforcement.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.25 sits among several lighting and inspection-related violations. For context:
393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps has been cited 660,737 times across our records with a 15.4% out-of-service rate. This code targets lamps that do not work, as opposed to lamps that are merely obscured.
393.11 — Lighting devices/reflectors accounts for 179,734 citations with a 1.8% out-of-service rate, covering a broader spectrum of lighting defects and missing reflectors.
393.78 — Windshield condition defective shows 157,894 citations with a 0.3% out-of-service rate and addresses obstruction of driver visibility from the cab.
The data suggests that inoperable lamps (393.9) generate far more enforcement activity than obscured lamps (393.25), likely because a non-functioning light is considered a more immediate safety risk. Obscured lamps, by contrast, are a loading or vehicle-setup issue that is often caught and corrected before inspection.
How to avoid it
Before you load:
- Walk around your truck and verify that all rear reflectors and lights are fully visible and unobstructed. This includes the red reflectors on your trailer, the center two-inch red reflector, and any amber side-marker lights.
- If you are using a tarp or load cover, ensure it does not extend beyond the rear of your cargo and does not cover any reflective or lighting surfaces.
- Check that your tailboard is latched and does not hang in a way that blocks rear lights.
During your pre-trip inspection:
- Test all rear lamps: brake lights, tail lights, and turn signals. Walk to the back of the truck and confirm they illuminate.
- Visually scan the rear of your vehicle and trailer from a distance (as another driver would see it). Confirm no part of your load is protruding into the light path.
- If carrying a tall or wide load, confirm it is properly flagged or marked, but ensure those flags or markings do not themselves obscure the actual lamps and reflectors required by regulation.
During transport:
- Check your load security regularly, especially on long hauls. Shifting cargo can move a tarp or covering into a position that blocks rear lights.
- Be aware that loose or torn tarps can flap into the rear-light zone, especially at highway speeds.
- If your trailer has a drop deck or removable sides, ensure those components are not blocking the reflectors mounted on the rear of the trailer structure.
Maintaining clear rear lighting is one of the simplest and highest-impact safety steps you can take. It costs nothing, takes minutes, and protects every vehicle behind you on the road.