393.78-WOOS — Windshield condition defective

FMCSA violation code under Vehicle Maintenance. 608 events recorded in roadside inspections. Severity weight: 4.

Violation code 393.78-WOOS is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations citation issued under 49 CFR 393.78. It tracks a specific compliance failure recorded against motor carriers and drivers during FMCSA roadside inspections. The code rolls up into the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) Vehicle Maintenance BASIC, which feeds the carrier's percentile ranking and prioritization for FMCSA interventions. It applies to interstate motor carriers, drivers, and the commercial motor vehicles they operate; intrastate operators are subject when their state has adopted Part 350 of the FMCSR by reference. It carries a severity weight of 4, 608 citations have been recorded against this code in the FMCSA inspection record.

Severity Weight
4
OOS Eligible
No
BASIC Category
Vehicle Maintenance
Total Events
608
Code:
393.78-WOOS
Code System:
FMCSR
BASIC Category:
Vehicle Maintenance
OOS Eligible:
No
Severity Weight:
4
Total Events:
608
Carriers Cited:
546

Ranks #874 of 3,146 FMCSR codes by citation frequency • OOS rate of 44.1% is above the FMCSR-wide average of 33.2%.

Violation Description

Windshield condition is such that it impairs the driver's view of the road.

About This Violation Code

Code 393.78-WOOS falls under the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC category in FMCSA's Safety Measurement System (SMS). It carries a severity weight of 4 (scale 1-10, higher = more severe).

When this violation is cited during a roadside inspection, it contributes to the carrier's Vehicle Maintenance BASIC score. Carriers with high BASIC percentiles may be prioritized for FMCSA interventions including warning letters, investigations, or compliance reviews.

Regulatory Reference

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations

This violation references 49 CFR 393.78 in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Events (all time)
609
OOS Events
268
OOS Rate
44.0%
Top State (180d)
New Jersey
18 events

Top Enforcing States

Where 393.78-WOOS is most commonly cited (last 180 days)

1. New Jersey
18
OOS 11.1%
2. California
11
OOS 27.3%
3. Pennsylvania
10
OOS 50.0%
4. Iowa
7
OOS 0.0%
5. Nevada
6
OOS 33.3%
6. Kentucky
5
OOS 20.0%
7. US
4
OOS 100.0%
8. Michigan
4
OOS 25.0%
9. Georgia
4
OOS 100.0%
10. Ohio
3
OOS 100.0%
11. Utah
3
OOS 100.0%
12. Vermont
3
OOS 66.7%
13. Mississippi
3
OOS 33.3%
14. Oklahoma
2
OOS 0.0%
15. Washington
2
OOS 100.0%

Click a state to see roadside inspection activity, top stations, and carrier profiles in that jurisdiction.

Citation Trend (12 months)

Monthly count of 393.78-WOOS citations. Red bars mark months with OOS-triggering citations.

18
2025-07
35
2025-08
26
2025-09
24
2025-10
22
2025-11
33
2025-12
19
2026-01
26
2026-02
17
2026-03
6
2026-04
21
2026-05
19
2026-06
4
2026-07

Most Active Stations

Inspection stations citing 393.78-WOOS most often (last 180 days)

1. NJ
4
OOS 50.0%
2. ANAHEIM
2
OOS 0.0%
3. WILMINGTON OH
2
OOS 100.0%
4. CASTAIC IF
1
OOS 100.0%
5. CORDELIA IF
1
OOS 0.0%
6. OTAY MESA IF
1
OOS 0.0%
7. ca-chrisman-rd-/-valpico
1
OOS 0.0%
8. ca-sr-91-w/b-peralta-scale
1
OOS 100.0%
9. ca-w/b-peralta-scale
1
OOS 0.0%
10. RIDGEWOOD SCALES
1
OOS 100.0%

Often Cited Together

Other violations commonly found on the same inspection (last 90 days)

Citation patterns suggest related root causes (e.g., HOS violations paired with logbook errors).

Top Carriers Cited

Ranked by frequency • 546 carriers total • Page 1 of 22

# Carrier USDOT # Violations
#1 LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT 2807610 3
#2 FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION 86876 3
#3 WARE DISPOSAL INC 2664243 3
#4 BROOKS TRANSPORTATION INC 2683083 3
#5 CARLOS R CABRERA 694513 2
#6 SL CRAFTSMAN HOMES LLC 3778230 2
#7 DEALERS CHOICE TRUCKAWAY SYSTEM INC 255166 2
#8 UNITED PARCEL SERVICE INC 21800 2
#9 TREYON TOWING & RECOVERY LLC 3370978 2
#10 BUCKHEAD MEAT COMPANY 288247 2
#11 DAWN RENEE MURPHY 3223373 2
#12 TREESMITH ENTERPRISES INC 2674185 2
#13 S M CONCRETE INC 1095362 1
#14 TOP CURB CONSTRUCTION CORP 3918120 1
#15 DYLAN DENG INC 3474797 1
#16 T&T EXCAVATING AND HAULING 4300852 1
#17 BENNY PIANO MOVERS INC 1676502 1
#18 EXTREME PAVING & SEALING LLC 2032804 1
#19 DVD EXPRESS INC 4089663 1
#20 O R M A TRANSPORT LLC 3840932 1
#21 S MARTIN TRUCKING LLC 1309124 1
#22 PINA TRUCKING LLC 3217621 1
#23 SHEPPARD BUS SERVICE 9022 1
#24 B&I SCRAP METAL LLC 3458561 1
#25 VIOLA TILE CO 4157166 1

Recent Inspections

Latest inspections where 393.78-WOOS was cited • 608 total events • Page 1 of 25

Date Report # State Level OOS
88347531 NJ Level 2 No
88349894 NV Level 2 No
88328906 OK Level 1 No
88282428 NJ Level 2 No
88262262 IA Level 2 No
88263281 KS Level 1 Yes
88258210 KS Level 1 Yes
88240058 NJ Level 1 No
88248238 MS Level 1 No
88198133 IA Level 2 No
88172289 MA Level 5 No
88156168 NJ Level 2 No
88140573 NJ Level 2 No
88111226 IA Level 1 No
88094567 NJ Level 2 No
88068928 IA Level 2 No
88062158 NJ Level 2 No
88061192 IA Level 2 No
88060691 IA Level 2 No
88058166 NH Level 1 No
88015405 CA Level 1 No
88008948 NJ Level 2 No
87993868 KY Level 2 No
87974837 TN Level 2 Yes
87973585 FL Level 2 Yes

How to comply with violation code 393.78-WOOS

  1. Locate the regulation in the eCFR. Open https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/section-393.78 on eCFR.gov to read the legal text the citation is written against. The eCFR is the National Archives' continuously updated electronic Code of Federal Regulations and is the canonical reference for any FMCSR section.
  2. Determine if your operation is subject. Confirm whether your operation is interstate (always subject to the FMCSR) or intrastate (subject when your state has adopted 49 CFR Part 350 by reference; most have). Intrastate operators in non-adopting states may be subject to a state analog instead of the federal rule.
  3. Identify the documented requirement. Read the requirement carefully: "Windshield condition is such that it impairs the driver's view of the road." Map it to the specific equipment, driver document, or operational practice it covers.
  4. Inspect or maintain to standard. Build a recurring inspection, training, or filing routine that catches this gap before a roadside inspector does. Pre-trip checks, scheduled preventive maintenance, driver-qualification file audits, and supervisor reviews are the standard places this kind of issue is caught early.
  5. Document compliance to demonstrate it on review. Keep a dated, signed record of each inspection, repair, training session, or filing tied to 393.78-WOOS. During an FMCSA compliance review or a customer onboarding audit, the documentation is what proves the program runs — undocumented compliance is indistinguishable from non-compliance to the auditor.

Frequently asked questions about 393.78-WOOS

What is FMCSA violation code 393.78-WOOS?
Windshield condition is such that it impairs the driver's view of the road. The citation appears as code 393.78-WOOS on roadside inspection reports issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and rolls up into the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC.
Is 393.78-WOOS an out-of-service violation?
No. Code 393.78-WOOS is not Out-of-Service eligible. A citation under this code is recorded on the inspection report and counts toward the carrier's BASIC percentile, but it does not by itself trigger an Out-of-Service order at the roadside.
What's the severity weight of 393.78-WOOS?
393.78-WOOS carries a severity weight of 4 on FMCSA's 1–10 scale. Higher weights indicate violations more strongly correlated with crash risk; FMCSA multiplies the weight by a time factor (3× for citations 0–6 months old, 2× for 6–12 months, 1× for 12–24 months) when computing the carrier's Safety Measurement System percentile.
How many inspections have cited 393.78-WOOS?
608 inspections in our FMCSA mirror cite 393.78-WOOS, of which 268 (44.0%) resulted in Out-of-Service orders. The Recent Inspections table on this page lists the most recent citations with date, state, level, and OOS flag — click any row to see the full inspection report.
Which BASIC category is 393.78-WOOS in?
393.78-WOOS rolls up into the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC of FMCSA's Safety Measurement System. The BASIC determines how the citation feeds the carrier's percentile ranking — carriers with high percentiles in a BASIC are prioritized for FMCSA interventions including warning letters, focused investigations, and full compliance reviews.
What does a carrier do to fix 393.78-WOOS?
Resolving a 393.78-WOOS citation has two parts: (1) correct the underlying condition immediately — repair the equipment defect, retrain the driver, file the missing form, or update the maintenance record — and (2) document the correction in the carrier's compliance file, ideally with date, time, and the name of the person who performed the work. Carriers that believe the citation was recorded in error can file a Request for Data Review through the FMCSA DataQs system within 24 months of the inspection date.
Where can I find related violation codes?
The "Often Cited Together" panel on this page lists violations frequently appearing on the same inspection as 393.78-WOOS — these usually share a root cause (for example, an HOS violation paired with a logbook error). The All Violation Codes index links to every code in the system, and the BASIC category page lists every code in Vehicle Maintenance.
Where can I find the full text of 393.78-WOOS?
The full regulatory text is published on eCFR.gov at 49 CFR 393.78. The eCFR is the official, continuously updated electronic Code of Federal Regulations maintained by the National Archives. The TruckCodex page mirrors enforcement data; the eCFR has the legal text the citation is written against.

About FMCSA violation codes

Every violation found during an FMCSA roadside inspection is recorded under a code drawn from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations — the codified safety rules motor carriers, drivers, and commercial motor vehicles must comply with in interstate commerce. Codes roll up into one of seven Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories (BASICs): Unsafe Driving, Hours-of-Service, Driver Fitness, Controlled Substances/Alcohol, Vehicle Maintenance, Hazardous Materials Compliance, and Crash Indicator. Each code carries a published severity weight (1–10) and an Out-of-Service eligibility flag.

Citations counted in the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS) feed a 24-month rolling percentile rank for every motor carrier. Recent citations weigh more heavily than older ones — FMCSA applies a 3× multiplier to events 0–6 months old, 2× for 6–12 months, and 1× for 12–24 months. Carriers above the published intervention threshold for a given BASIC are prioritized for warning letters, focused investigations, and full compliance reviews.

TruckCodex mirrors the FMCSA Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) and the published violation dictionary on a daily refresh cycle. We do not author or modify violation records — every count, severity weight, and OOS flag on this page reflects what the FMCSA has on file. For real-time confirmation immediately before an enforcement decision, click through to the FMCSA Violations Search link above. Carriers who believe a citation was recorded in error can file a Request for Data Review through the FMCSA DataQs system.

Data sources & freshness

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Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).

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