Everything drivers and fleet managers need to know about 393.60E citations: OOS risk, CSA points, top states, and what to do after a citation.
Ranks #345 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 0.0% is below the FMCSR-wide average of 33.3%.
Windshield - Obstructed.
Direct answers grounded in TruckCodex inspection data
No. Across all 4,386 all-time citations in our inspection records, only 1 vehicle was ever placed out of service under 393.60E — producing an effective OOS rate of 0.0%. Compare that to the all-FMCSR average of 31.4% and it's clear this code carries virtually no immediate OOS risk. You will almost certainly drive away from the inspection, but the citation still lands on your CSA record and on your carrier's BASIC scores, so it isn't consequence-free.
393.60E carries a severity weight of 4 on the CSA scoring scale. That base weight is then multiplied by a time-weight factor — violations discovered within the most recent 6 months count at 3×, those 7–12 months old count at 2×, and anything older counts at 1×. So a fresh 393.60E citation can effectively add 12 weighted points to your Vehicle Maintenance BASIC before any other factors are applied. Points drop off completely after 24 months from the inspection date.
Act on the glazing issue before your next dispatch, and audit the systems most commonly cited alongside it.
It's relatively low-severity on the OOS scale, but not rare. At 0.0% OOS, 393.60E is far safer than most peer codes in the Vehicle Maintenance category — for context, 396.3(a)(1) carries a 45.3% OOS rate across 236,919 citations, and even 393.9(a) runs 15.4% OOS across 660,737 citations. That said, 393.60E ranks #368 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, meaning inspectors write it regularly. The 4-point severity weight still moves your Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, especially if multiple violations appear on the same inspection.
Yes, you can submit a DataQs Request for Data Review (RDR), and equipment-based findings like this one are among the more contestable types. Because 393.60E is an equipment condition violation — not a paperwork issue — a successful challenge typically requires documentation that the glazing was intact and unobstructed at the time of inspection: dated repair receipts, photos with timestamps, or a signed driver vehicle inspection report showing no defect noted. Submit your RDR at the FMCSA DataQs portal with supporting evidence attached. If the finding is removed, it is purged from your PSP record and your carrier's BASIC calculation.
California, Arizona, and Michigan lead all states in 393.60E enforcement over the last 180 days. Our inspection records show California issued 118 citations, Arizona followed with 110, and Michigan logged 98 citations in that period. Missouri (72 citations), Pennsylvania (66), and Arkansas (64) round out the next tier. All six of those states recorded a 0.0% OOS rate on this code, consistent with the national picture. If your routes run through CA, AZ, or MI, treat glazing condition as a pre-trip priority.
Urgent — volume is climbing and inspectors are actively looking for it. Our inspection records show 393.60E generated 2,720 citations in the last 12 months and 620 in just the last 90 days. Monthly counts have been consistently high: September through March each produced 191–278 citations per month. That level of enforcement activity means the probability of a second citation on an unrepaired vehicle is real. Each new citation resets the 6-month time-weight multiplier, stacking 12 fresh CSA points on top of any prior hits and accelerating your BASIC score toward intervention thresholds.
Both. Under FMCSA's CSA methodology, a Vehicle Maintenance violation like 393.60E attaches to the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC because the carrier is responsible for keeping equipment in safe condition. It also appears on the driver's Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) record for 3 years, visible to any motor carrier that pulls your PSP during hiring. Drivers are not directly scored in BASIC the way carriers are, but a PSP showing repeated equipment violations can affect hiring decisions, making timely repair and DataQs challenges worthwhile for both parties.
Where 393.60E is most commonly cited (last 180 days)
Other violations commonly found on the same inspection (last 90 days)
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.