Kentucky’s Expanded ‘Move Over Law’ Goes into Effect on July 15th

By now, we have all heard of the "Move Over" law in Kentucky. Beginning July 15th, 2024, there's a big update to that law that you need to become familiar with.

The Move Over Law, it requires drivers to change lanes to give clearance to law enforcement officers, firefighters, ambulances, utility workers, and in some cases, tow-truck drivers. This should be common sense/courtesy, however, I still see drivers choosing not to move over into the other lane when a situation like this arises. We should all be aware of this, especially with all of the construction zones we have on our highways. It's not like it's a new law in Kentucky. The original law, was passed in 2003, so you would think by now, Kentuckians would know to move over. However, that isn't the case. Now, an expanded version of that law is about to go into effect next week. So you might want to become familiar with it.

Get our free mobile app

What to Know About Kentucky's Expanded 'Move Over Law'

In April, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 107, which expands the existing "Move Over Law" in Kentucky. This expansion will go into effect on July 15th, 2024. While the ‘Move Over’ law originally only protected emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road, the expanded law also includes disabled vehicles that have their hazard lights on. This goes for drivers on all Kentucky roads, including two-lane roads where moving over a lane might not be possible. If they are not able to change lanes, or they are are on a road with fewer than four lanes, they must slow down, according to WDRB.

So, for example, if you've got a flat tire, and you're on the side of the road with your four-way flashers on, the law now applies to you as well. Pretty much anything on the shoulder now, some sort of an emergency light going, is going to apply to the expansion of this law. If you see that on Kentucky roads, move over or slow down if you can't move over into the left lane. People violating Kentucky’s “Move Over” law can be fined up to $500 and jailed for up to 30 days.