Kentucky’s “Move Over” law expands Monday

The expanded law is designed to protect motorists with disabled vehicles.

Kentucky’s “Move Over” law is expanding Monday. The law now requires motorists in the right-most lane to move over when approaching emergency vehicles and tow trucks with flashing lights on the side of the road. Lieutenant Chris Van Brackel, with the Lexington Police Department, said come Monday, other vehicles will receive the same protection.

highway traffic
Come Monday, Kentucky’s “Move Over” law will include disabled vehicles on the side of the road with flashers on. (Pixabay stock image)

“If you’ve got a flat tire, you’re on the side of the road with your four-way flashers on, the law now applies to you as well. The idea was pretty much anything on the shoulder now, some sort of a emergency light going, is going to apply.”

Van Brackel said the expanded law is designed to protect motorists with disabled vehicles.

“The purpose for adding this in is there have been multiple times throughout the commonwealth, someone changing a tire or dealing with something with their broken-down car is hit by a passing vehicle.”

Van Brackel said if there’s not room to change lanes, motorists must slow down. People violating Kentucky’s “Move Over” law can be fined up to $500 and jailed for up to 30 days.

This story is republished with permission from WEKU. Read the original.

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John McGary is a Lexington native and Navy veteran with three decades of radio, television and newspaper experience. He comes to WEKU from The Woodford Sun, where he was editor while covering government meetings, reporting on community events and taking photographs. At the Sun, he won multiple awards for news and feature stories and columns. At WLEX-TV, John won a Midwest Regional Emmy for an investigative story about illegal dumping and in 2003, was named Best Television Reporter by the Kentucky Associated Press. In the Navy, he was named Print Journalist of the Year once and Navy Broadcaster of the Year twice. John’s radio experience includes news and starting a radio magazine show at NTC Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and co-hosting a morning news/talk show in Owensboro, Ky. while working for The Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.