Under §392.22, whenever a CMV is stopped on the traveled portion or shoulder of a highway for a reason other than necessary traffic stops, the driver must place warning devices in front of and behind the vehicle within ten minutes of stopping. The placement specifications vary by road type — divided highway, undivided two-lane, or curved/hilly road.
Required equipment
Every CMV must carry warning devices per §393.95 — typically three bidirectional reflective triangles, or three liquid-burning flares plus a fusee. Battery-powered emergency warning lamps may also be acceptable in certain configurations.
Common citation patterns
- Stopped for a flat tire, no triangles deployed.
- Triangles deployed but at the wrong distances (the §392.22(b) tables are specific to road type).
- Triangles set out only behind the vehicle, not in front.
How to prevent it
- Pre-trip inspection: confirm warning devices are present, complete, and accessible — not buried under cargo or in a locked toolbox.
- Brief drivers on the §392.22(b) placement diagrams. The specifics matter to inspectors.
- After every breakdown event, log the response — including warning device deployment — in your incident record.
How Roadworthy HQ helps
Roadside inspection findings under §392.22 link to the vehicle in Roadworthy HQ, prompting an equipment check and corrective action note. The audit binder export includes the chain of action you took after the violation — what an auditor wants to see.