What 393.60(c) means in plain language
This regulation addresses the condition of glazing — that's your windshield and all other windows on a commercial motor vehicle. The core concern is straightforward: if any glass is cracked, discolored, or obstructed in a way that meaningfully cuts into the driver's ability to see the road, it's a violation.
Inspectors aren't looking for a hairline scratch in the corner of your windshield. They're looking for damage or obstruction that actually compromises your line of sight — think a spiderweb crack spreading across your field of vision, a heavily tinted or yellowed windshield, a dashboard item blocking the lower glass, or stickers and GPS mounts placed directly in your sightline.
It's worth noting that the regulation covers more than just the windshield. Side windows and any other glazing on the CMV fall under the same standard. If the view from the driver's seat is compromised, you're a candidate for this citation.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our database of 13 million+ inspections, 393.60(c) has generated 53,470 all-time citations, placing it at #58 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. That's a top-2% enforcement frequency — inspectors encounter this violation regularly, and they know what to look for.
Here's the good news if you just got cited: this code carries an out-of-service rate of just 0.1%. Of those 53,470 citations, only 49 vehicles were actually placed out of service. The remaining 53,421 citations resulted in a write-up without a roadside shutdown. To put that in perspective, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate is 31.4% — this code runs more than 300 times below that average. You are almost certainly driving away from this stop.
That said, our inspection records show zero citations in the last 90 days and zero in the last 12 months in the current data snapshot. This reflects a period of reduced enforcement activity for this specific code in recent data, though its 53,470-citation all-time history makes clear it has been a consistent enforcement target.
The CSA severity weight for this violation is 4, which means it does add points to your Safety Measurement System (SMS) profile — even without an OOS action. Those points follow your record and affect your carrier's BASIC scores.
Who gets cited most
Our data does not include a state-by-state breakdown in the current statistics block, so we won't speculate on which states lead enforcement for this code. What the carrier data does reveal is a pattern worth noting for fleet managers.
The carriers with the highest all-time citation counts in our database include AUTOTRANSPORTE CA-RI SA DE CV (USDOT 1759246) with 177 citations and AKNA TRANSPORTES S DE RL DE CV (USDOT 1856796) with 114 citations. Several other carriers in the top ten list also carry Mexican USDOT registrations, which suggests that cross-border inspection points — where vehicles may have accumulated more road wear or different maintenance standards — are a significant source of these citations. Our data shows fleets such as EVANS DELIVERY COMPANY INC (USDOT 38111) with 75 citations as well, indicating this issue isn't limited to any single operating profile.
On the equipment side, Freightliner variants dominate the citation list, with FRHT accounting for 5,391 citations and FREIGHTLIN accounting for another 3,356 — combined, that's over 8,700 citations tied to Freightliner platforms alone. Kenworth (KW: 2,113 citations; KENWORTH: 1,138 citations) and Peterbilt (PTRB: 1,740 citations) round out the top tier. If you operate one of these makes, your pre-trip glass inspection deserves extra attention.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.60(c)'s 53,470 citations look modest against some of the volume giants, but its low OOS rate sets it apart in a different way.
Consider 393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps, which has accumulated 660,737 citations with a 15.4% OOS rate. That's more than 12 times the citation volume of 393.60(c) and an OOS rate roughly 150 times higher. Lighting failures are treated far more severely at the roadside than window condition.
Look at 396.3(a)(1) — Inspection/repair/maintenance (general), which sits at 236,919 citations and a 45.3% OOS rate. That code — a catch-all for general maintenance failures — puts nearly half of cited vehicles out of service. By comparison, 393.60(c)'s 0.1% OOS rate signals that inspectors view glazing issues as a documentation and compliance concern more than an immediate safety crisis requiring shutdown.
The closest peer code is 393.78 — Windshield condition defective, with 157,894 citations and a 0.3% OOS rate. That code covers overlapping territory and has roughly three times the citation volume, but both codes share the same low-OOS profile. If you're cited for one, there's a reasonable chance the other was considered during the same inspection.
How to avoid it
The pattern in our data is clear: glazing violations are almost entirely preventable through disciplined pre-trip inspection. Here's what to check before you leave the yard:
- Walk the windshield edge-to-edge during your pre-trip. Look for cracks, chips, or star breaks that have grown since your last run. A chip in the corner today is a spreading crack across your field of vision next week.
- Check for discoloration or haze. Windshields on high-mileage trucks — particularly older Freightliner, Kenworth, and Peterbilt platforms that lead our citation data — can develop UV yellowing or delamination that reduces visibility without being an obvious crack.
- Clear your dash before every run. Papers, GPS mounts, hanging air fresheners, and stacked documents placed near the glass are all fair game for an inspector. Mount accessories low and outside the primary sight line.
- Inspect side windows as well. Cracked or stuck side glass counts under this regulation. Verify that windows open, close, and sit flush — a rattling or partial window can also signal a seating issue that obscures vision.
- Document condition in your DVIR. If you note a chip or minor crack and report it, you create a paper trail showing awareness and intent to repair. An unreported and unaddressed defect is a harder conversation at the roadside.
- On Freightliner equipment specifically, pay attention to the windshield seal and frame condition. Our citation data shows these platforms cited far more than any other make, and seal deterioration can accelerate cracking under vibration and temperature swings.
A 393.60(c) citation won't park your truck, but the CSA severity weight of 4 means it still costs you. Thirty seconds of glass inspection during your pre-trip is the entire prevention program.