What 393.60(d) means in plain language
This regulation addresses the condition of glazing on your commercial motor vehicle — that means your windshield and all windows. The rule is violated when any of that glazing is cracked, discolored, or blocked in a way that meaningfully cuts down on what you can see from the driver's seat.
The intent is straightforward: your ability to see the road, other vehicles, and hazards must not be compromised by the physical state of your glass. A crack that spiders across your field of view, a tint or discoloration that darkens your line of sight, or a sticker, mounted device, or hanging object positioned in a critical sightline can all put you in violation.
Notice that this is not just about windshields. Any window on the CMV that obstructs the driver's visibility falls under the same standard. That includes windows used to check mirrors and blind spots. If it blocks what you need to see to operate safely, it counts.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our database of 13 million+ inspections, 393.60(d) has generated 37,236 all-time citations, placing it at #88 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by total citation volume. That's a meaningful enforcement footprint — this is not an obscure technicality that inspectors rarely use.
Despite the volume, the out-of-service numbers tell a different story. Of those 37,236 citations, only 1 resulted in a vehicle being placed out of service, producing an effective OOS rate of 0.0%. Compare that to the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4% across all codes in our database. In practical terms, you will almost certainly keep rolling after this citation — but you will still carry the violation on your record.
That distinction matters for CSA scoring. The violation carries a severity weight of 4, meaning it does add points to your Safety Measurement System (SMS) score even though it won't park your truck on the spot. Accumulated points from multiple lower-severity violations like this one can still move a carrier's BASIC scores toward intervention thresholds.
One important trend to note: our inspection records show zero citations for 393.60(d) in the last 90 days and zero in the last 12 months. Enforcement of this specific code appears to have gone effectively dormant in recent periods, though the all-time volume confirms it has historically been actively enforced.
Who gets cited most
The top states generating 393.60(d) citations in our data are not broken out in the available statistics, so we're not able to name specific states or their OOS-rate variation here. What the data does show is that this violation appears across a wide range of carrier types and fleet sizes.
Among fleets in our database, EVANS DELIVERY COMPANY INC (USDOT 38111) leads with 58 citations all-time, followed by TRANSPORT INDIANA LLC (USDOT 3057791) with 45 citations and ACME TRUCK LINE INC (USDOT 52767) with 29 citations. Our data shows fleets such as these accumulating citations over many years of operation — this is a volume pattern, not a single event, and reflects how consistently inspectors flag window conditions across diverse operations.
On the vehicle side, FRHT units account for 2,327 citations, PTRB for 2,198, and FORD for 1,916 — the three most-cited makes in our records for this code. KW units follow with 1,577 citations. If you're operating any of these platforms, that's additional reason to make window condition a deliberate part of your pre-trip rather than an afterthought.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
To put 393.60(d)'s 37,236 citations in context, look at what else lives in the Vehicle Maintenance category.
393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps — has 660,737 citations in our database, nearly 18 times the volume of 393.60(d), and carries a 15.4% OOS rate. That's a code that both gets written more often and parks trucks at a meaningful rate.
393.78 — Windshield condition defective — is the closest cousin to 393.60(d) in practical terms, covering defective windshield conditions. It has accumulated 157,894 citations — more than four times the volume of 393.60(d) — but only a 0.3% OOS rate. Both codes land in near-zero OOS territory, but 393.78 gets written far more frequently, suggesting inspectors have more latitude to reach for that code in windshield-specific situations.
396.3(a)(1) — Inspection, repair, and maintenance (general) — sits at 236,919 citations with a 45.3% OOS rate. That's the kind of severity that actually sidelines equipment. The contrast underscores that 393.60(d), while a real CSA-scoring violation, sits at the lower end of operational consequence compared to maintenance codes with structural or mechanical implications.
How to avoid it
The good news: 393.60(d) is almost entirely preventable with deliberate pre-trip habits. Every item below is something you can check or address before you leave the yard.
- Walk the glass before every dispatch. During your pre-trip, physically look at your windshield and all cab windows in good light. Look for new cracks, stress fractures that have grown overnight, or delamination at the edges. A crack that wasn't there yesterday can appear after a temperature swing.
- Check for obstruction, not just damage. Suction-mounted devices — GPS units, phones, dash cameras — can drift into your primary sightline. Make sure any mounted equipment is positioned outside the critical forward visibility zone. Remove hanging objects, air fresheners, or credentials that block your view through side windows.
- Assess discoloration and tint condition. Older windows can yellow or haze, especially on work trucks. On FORD, RAM, and other lighter-duty platforms that appear frequently in our citation data, aftermarket tint film can bubble or peel and create visibility-reducing obstruction.
- Note FRHT and PTRB-specific issues. Our data shows FRHT and PTRB units leading in 393.60(d) citations with 2,327 and 2,198 respectively. On high-mileage long-haul equipment, windshield pitting from road debris is common and gradual — what looks acceptable in dim conditions may not hold up under direct inspection lighting. Treat any significant pitting zone in your forward sightline as a repair-now item.
- Document and repair before the violation finds you. If you identify a crack or obstruction during pre-trip, report it on your DVIR before the trip begins. Deferred repairs that turn into roadside citations are avoidable. A documented pre-trip catch is far better than a 393.60(d) citation adding a severity-weight-4 hit to your CSA record.
- Clean your glass as maintenance, not just comfort. Interior film buildup — from outgassing plastics, smoke, or dust — can create glare-amplifying haze that an inspector may flag as reduced visibility. Wipe down interior glass surfaces regularly, not just the outside.