What 393.60(e) means in plain language
This regulation covers the condition of glazing on your commercial motor vehicle — that means your windshield and all windows. The core concern is straightforward: if any glazing surface is cracked, discolored, or blocked in a way that meaningfully reduces your ability to see the road, you're in violation.
Inspectors aren't looking for minor surface scuffs or tiny chips in the corner of your windshield. The standard is whether the condition actually reduces visibility. A long crack running across your sightline, a heavily tinted or yellowed windshield, or a dashboard stacked with items blocking your view forward — these are the kinds of conditions this rule targets.
The practical takeaway: anything on or around your glazing that makes it harder to see clearly while driving is a potential citation. That includes cracks, discoloration from age or damage, stickers, mounted devices placed in critical sightline areas, and physical obstructions sitting on the dash or hanging from the mirror cluster.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our database of 13 million+ inspections, 393.60(e) has accumulated 6,538 all-time citations, ranking it #294 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. That puts it in the top 10% of all cited codes — more common than most drivers assume for what seems like a minor visual issue.
Here's the important number if you just got cited: the out-of-service rate for this violation is 0.1%. Out of 6,538 citations, only 8 vehicles were placed out of service. The remaining 6,530 citations — effectively 99.9% of them — did not result in an OOS order. To put that in context, the all-FMCSR average OOS rate across all codes is 31.4%. This code runs dramatically below that average, which means getting cited does not typically mean your truck gets parked on the spot.
That said, the CSA severity weight is 4, so the citation does go on your record and it does count against your fleet's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score. It won't shut you down at the scale, but it accumulates.
For recent trends: our inspection records show zero citations in the last 90 days and zero in the last 12 months for this code in the current data window. Enforcement activity under this specific sub-section appears to have quieted considerably in recent periods, though the all-time volume confirms it has historically been enforced at meaningful scale.
Who gets cited most
The statistics block for this code does not include a state-by-state breakdown, so we won't speculate on geographic patterns. What the data does show is which large fleets have accumulated the most citations over time — and the numbers reflect scale of operation as much as anything else.
Our data shows fleets such as New Prime Inc (USDOT 3706) with 35 citations and Swift Transportation Co of Arizona LLC (USDOT 54283) with 34 citations leading the all-time count among carriers in our database. J.B. Hunt Transport Inc (USDOT 80806) follows with 28 citations. These are among the largest carriers operating in the country, so higher raw citation counts are expected simply from the volume of inspections they undergo annually.
On the vehicle side, Freightliner units (logged under both FRHT with 883 citations and FREIGHTLIN with 350 citations) account for the largest share of citations by make — combined, those two entries represent 1,233 of the 6,538 total citations. Volvo (VOLV, 299 citations) and Kenworth (KW, 269 citations) also appear prominently. If you're driving one of these makes, the data suggests inspectors have historically encountered this condition frequently enough that pre-trip attention to glazing is worth the extra thirty seconds.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.60(e) is a relatively low-stakes citation compared to what else lives in this space. Consider a few peer codes from our database:
393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps has been cited 660,737 times with a 15.4% OOS rate. That's roughly 101 times more citation volume than 393.60(e), and drivers cited under it face a far higher chance of being parked.
396.3(a)(1) — Inspection, repair, and maintenance (general) carries a 45.3% OOS rate across 236,919 citations. Nearly half of all citations under that code end in an out-of-service order — compared to 0.1% for 393.60(e).
393.78 — Windshield condition defective is the closest cousin to 393.60(e) and is worth knowing. Our inspection records show 157,894 all-time citations under that code with a 0.3% OOS rate. It covers similar territory but has been cited more than 24 times as often. If you're cited for 393.60(e), there's a real chance an inspector could also note a 393.78 issue on the same stop, so understanding both codes matters.
The bottom line from the data: 393.60(e) is a CSA weight-4 citation that won't get your truck shut down in almost every case, but it sits in a category where other codes can and do result in OOS orders regularly.
How to avoid it
The good news is that glazing violations are almost entirely preventable during a thorough pre-trip. Here's what the data points to as the highest-leverage actions:
- Walk the windshield line-of-sight before every dispatch. Stand outside and look at the full windshield from the driver's perspective. Any crack that runs through your primary sightline — roughly the area swept by your wipers — is a citation risk. Don't wait for it to spread.
- Clear the dash before you roll. Papers, boxes, GPS mounts placed too high, or hanging objects near the mirror cluster all qualify as obstructions. Take thirty seconds to move anything that encroaches on your forward view.
- Check for discoloration, especially on older glazing. Windshields yellow and haze over time. If your windshield has developed a tint or cloudiness that makes night driving noticeably harder, that's the same condition an inspector will evaluate.
- Pay extra attention on Freightliner, Volvo, and Kenworth units. Our data shows these makes account for a disproportionate share of 393.60(e) citations. On these platforms, check that window seals and mounts haven't allowed moisture intrusion or edge cracking that's easy to miss in low light.
- Document conditions you can't fix immediately. If a chip or small crack exists but hasn't entered the primary sightline, note it in your pre-trip log. That documentation doesn't eliminate citation risk, but it demonstrates awareness and supports your case if the condition is disputed.
- At fuel stops and weigh stations, glance at side windows too. The regulation covers all glazing, not just the windshield. Cracked or heavily damaged side glass on the driver's door or sleeper windows can draw a citation under the same code.