Kentucky’s Move Over law requires you to change lanes away from any stopped emergency, public safety, or disabled vehicle that is displaying warning lights, and to slow to a safe speed as you pass. The rule lives in KRS 189.930, and it covers more than just police cruisers and ambulances.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statute 189.930 – Right-of-Way to Emergency Vehicles
What You Have to Do When You See a Stopped Vehicle
Your obligation depends on the road.
Four or More Lanes
If the highway has at least four lanes with two going your direction, move out of the lane adjacent to the stopped vehicle. A vehicle on the right shoulder means you shift left; one on the left shoulder or median means you shift right. The lane change is required only when it can be done safely, with “due regard to safety and traffic conditions.” If traffic is heavy or you are boxed in, stay put, slow down, and maintain a safe speed until you have cleared the scene.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statute 189.930 – Right-of-Way to Emergency Vehicles
Kentucky does not set a specific speed reduction in miles per hour. The standard is a “safe speed for road conditions,” which gives officers and courts room to judge. In practice, slow down noticeably. Coasting past a crash scene at highway speed because you could not change lanes is exactly what the statute targets.
Two-Lane Roads
On a road with fewer than four lanes, changing lanes would put you into oncoming traffic, so the law does not require it. You must reduce speed and proceed with caution, factoring in visibility, weather, shoulder width, and whether people are standing near the roadway. Be ready to stop. Tow trucks and emergency crews often have equipment extending into the travel lane, and “due caution” sometimes means waiting until you can safely pass. This matters most at night, in rain, and on curves that cut your sightline.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statute 189.930 – Right-of-Way to Emergency Vehicles
Which Stopped Vehicles Trigger the Duty
Two categories are covered. The first is emergency and public safety vehicles displaying alternately flashing lights in any combination of yellow, red, white, or blue. That includes police cruisers, fire trucks, ambulances, tow trucks, highway maintenance crews, and utility vehicles.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statute 189.930 – Right-of-Way to Emergency Vehicles
The second often surprises drivers: disabled civilian vehicles. If a broken-down car on the shoulder has its hazard flashers running, or the driver has set out flares or reflective triangles, the Move Over law applies to it. The duty you owe a stranded motorist is the same duty you owe a state trooper on a traffic stop.1Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statute 189.930 – Right-of-Way to Emergency Vehicles Kentucky is one of 19 states, plus Washington, D.C., that extends move-over protection to any vehicle displaying hazard or warning lights, not just emergency responders.2National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Move Over: It’s the Law
Fines, Points, and Insurance
A Move Over violation carries fines under KRS 189.990. The exact amount depends on the circumstances of the citation and whether the violation contributed to a crash or injury. Repeat offenses within a short period draw steeper penalties, and a violation that results in property damage or physical harm to a roadside worker or stranded driver can escalate well beyond a routine traffic fine.3Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Revised Statute 189.990 – Penalties
Points land on your license too. Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle carries four points; other moving hazardous violations carry three. For drivers 18 and older, accumulating 12 points within two years triggers a hearing that can lead to suspension. Drivers under 18 face that hearing at seven points.4Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Kentucky’s Point System Safety Facts
Insurance is the quieter cost. Carriers review Kentucky driving records at renewal, and a move-over citation reads to underwriters as risky behavior. A single moving violation can push premiums higher for years, often outrunning the fine itself by a wide margin.