What 393.60E means in plain language
FMCSR 393.60E targets the condition of glazing on your commercial motor vehicle — that means your windshield and any other windows. When glazing is cracked, discolored, or blocked in a way that meaningfully reduces what you can see from the driver's seat, you're in violation territory. The rule isn't about a hairline scratch in the corner; it's about anything that degrades your forward or peripheral sightlines to a degree that creates a safety risk.
The regulation covers the full range of obstruction scenarios. A crack running through your line of sight, yellowing or hazing that distorts your view in low-angle sunlight, aftermarket tinting that darkens the glass beyond an acceptable threshold, or physical objects — stickers, GPS mounts, hanging items — placed in the sweep zone of your windshield can all trigger a citation. Officers evaluate this on the spot based on whether visibility is meaningfully compromised.
The practical takeaway is straightforward: your glazing needs to be clean, clear, and free of anything that sits in your primary field of vision. This is a pre-trip item you can verify in under a minute before you ever leave the yard.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our database of 13 million+ inspections, 393.60E has generated 4,386 all-time citations, placing it at #368 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume. That puts it squarely in the more-commonly-cited half of the entire code library. Enforcement has clearly accelerated: 2,720 of those citations came in just the last 12 months, and 620 were recorded in the last 90 days alone.
Monthly trend data shows consistent enforcement pressure through the back half of 2025 and into 2026. Citations ran between 191 and 278 per month from October 2025 through March 2026, with March 2026 being the busiest single month in our records at 278 citations.
Here's the part that should actually reassure you: the out-of-service rate for 393.60E is effectively 0.0%. Out of 4,386 all-time citations, only 1 vehicle was placed out of service. The remaining 4,385 citations resulted in a write-up but not a roadside shutdown. Compare that to the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4% across all codes in our database — 393.60E sits dramatically below that average. This code is not OOS eligible under current FMCSA criteria, meaning getting cited won't park your truck. It will, however, land on your CSA record with a severity weight of 4, which does accumulate toward your Unsafe Driving and Vehicle Maintenance BASICs depending on inspection context.
Who gets cited most
Looking at the last 180 days of our inspection records, California leads all states with 118 citations, followed closely by Arizona at 110 and Michigan at 98. Missouri (72 citations), Pennsylvania (66), and Arkansas (64) round out the next tier. Across every state in the top 10, the OOS rate holds at 0.0% — there is no meaningful variation in OOS outcomes by state, which is consistent with the code's non-OOS-eligible status nationally.
The geographic spread tells you something useful: this isn't a regional enforcement quirk. California, Arizona, and Michigan are very different operating environments — western interstate corridors, border crossings, and Great Lakes industrial routes — yet all three post high citation counts. Officers everywhere are looking at your glass.
On the carrier side, our data shows fleets such as NEW PRIME INC (USDOT 3706) with 25 all-time citations and FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION (USDOT 86876) and J B HUNT TRANSPORT INC (USDOT 80806) each with 14 citations. High citation counts at large carriers reflect scale — these are organizations running tens of thousands of units — but the pattern confirms that no fleet size is exempt from this inspection item.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the Vehicle Maintenance category, 393.60E is a minor citation by OOS impact but still meaningful for CSA scoring. Consider how it stacks up against peers in our database:
- 393.9(a) — Inoperable required lamps has been cited 660,737 times with a 15.4% OOS rate. That's 150 times the citation volume of 393.60E and carries genuine OOS risk.
- 396.3(a)(1) — Inspection/repair/maintenance (general) carries a 45.3% OOS rate across 236,919 citations — nearly half of all citations under that code end the driver's day at the roadside.
- 393.78 — Windshield condition defective is a close neighbor with 157,894 citations and a 0.3% OOS rate. That code has over 35 times the citation volume of 393.60E, which suggests inspectors have a broad range of glazing-related tools at their disposal. Depending on what the officer observes, a windshield issue can be written as 393.60E, 393.78A, or related variants.
The comparison makes clear that 393.60E won't park your truck, but it also isn't invisible on your record. A severity weight of 4 means it contributes to your CSA score every time it appears.
How to avoid it
Our co-occurrence data from the last 90 days gives a clear picture of what else is going wrong on inspections that include a 393.60E citation. Use that pattern to build a tighter pre-trip:
- Walk your windshield line of sight before every departure. Cracks, stone chips, and crazing develop gradually. What was a chip last week can become a disqualifying crack this week. Check the full sweep zone — not just the center.
- Clear all mounts and hanging objects from the windshield area. GPS holders, air fresheners, credentials, and decorative items placed in your sightlines are low-hanging enforcement fruit. Our data shows 393.78A (windshield condition defective) co-occurs on 46 of the same inspections as 393.60E in the last 90 days — officers writing one glazing code are often writing others too.
- Check your periodic inspection documentation. Code 396.17C-PI (no proof of periodic inspection) appeared on 83 of the same inspections as 393.60E in the last 90 days — the single most common co-occurring code. Carry your annual inspection documentation and confirm it's current.
- Inspect your fire extinguisher mount. 393.95A4-EEUS (fire extinguisher unsecured) co-occurred on 47 inspections. An unsecured extinguisher can also become a cab projectile — check the bracket every pre-trip.
- Pay extra attention if you're running a Freightliner. Our records show Freightliner platforms (cited under FREIGHTLIN and FRHT combined) account for 1,560 of all-time 393.60E citations — by far the most of any make. Whether that reflects fleet size, cab design, or inspection targeting, Freightliner drivers should treat windshield condition as a priority pre-trip item.
- Check brakes while you're under the hood. 393.47E (slack adjuster defective) showed up on 38 of the same inspections. A vehicle that gets flagged for glazing often has other deferred maintenance items — treat the inspection as a whole-vehicle check, not just a windshield scan.