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Kentucky · Snapshot 09/05/2026

KRS 189.010: Definitions for chapter.

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  1. KRS Chapter 189

As used in this chapter:

(1) "Department" means the Department of Highways;

(2) "Crosswalk" means:

(a) That part of a roadway at an intersection within the connections of the lateral

lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the

curbs or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway; or

(b) Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated

for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface;

(3) "Highway" means any public road, street, avenue, al ley or boulevard, bridge,

viaduct, or trestle and the approaches to them and includes private residential roads

and parking lots covered by an agreement under KRS 61.362, off -street parking

facilities offered for public use, whether publicly or privately o wned, except for -

hire parking facilities listed in KRS 189.700;

(4) "Intersection" means:

(a) The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curb

lines, or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two (2)

highways which join one another, but do not necessarily continue, at

approximately right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon

different highways joining at any other angle may come into conflict; or

(b) Where a highway includes two (2) roadway s thirty (30) feet or more apart,

then every crossing of each roadway of such divided highway by an

intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. If the

intersecting highway also includes two (2) roadways thirty (30) feet or more

apart, every crossing of two (2) roadways of the highways shall be regarded as

a separate intersection. The junction of a private alley with a public street or

highway shall not constitute an intersection;

(5) "Manufactured home" has the same meaning as defined in KRS 186.650;

(6) "Motor truck" means any motor -propelled vehicle designed for carrying freight or

merchandise. It shall not include self -propelled vehicles designed primarily for

passenger transportation but equipped with frames, racks, or bodies having a load

capacity of not exceeding one thousand (1,000) pounds;

(7) "Operator" means the person in actual physical control of a vehicle;

(8) "Pedestrian" means any person afoot or in a wheelchair;

(9) "Right-of-way" means the right of one (1) vehicle or pedestrian to proceed in a

lawful manner in preference to another vehicle or pedestrian approaching under

such circumstances of direction, speed, and proximity as to give rise to danger of

collision unless one grants precedence to the other;

(10) "Roadway" means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used

for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. If a highway includes two

(2) or more separate roadways, the term "roadway" as used herein shall refer to any

roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively;

(11) "Safety zone" means the area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the

exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is so marked or in dicated by

adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone;

(12) "Semitrailer" means a vehicle designed to be attached to, and having its front end

supported by, a motor truck or truck tractor, intended for the carryin g of freight or

merchandise and having a load capacity of over one thousand (1,000) pounds;

(13) "Truck tractor" means any motor-propelled vehicle designed to draw and to support

the front end of a semitrailer. The semitrailer and the truck tractor shall b e

considered to be one (1) unit;

(14) "Sharp curve" means a curve of not less than thirty (30) degrees;

(15) "State Police" includes any agency for the enforcement of the highway laws

established pursuant to law;

(16) "Steep grade" means a grade exceeding seven percent (7%);

(17) "Trailer" means any vehicle designed to be drawn by a motor truck or truck -tractor,

but supported wholly upon its own wheels, intended for the carriage of freight or

merchandise and having a load capacity of over one thousand (1,000) pounds;

(18) "Unobstructed highway" means a straight, level, first -class road upon which no

other vehicle is passing or attempting to pass and upon which no other vehicle or

pedestrian is approaching in the opposite direction, closer than three hundred (300)

yards;

(19) (a) "Vehicle" includes:

1. All agencies for the transportation of persons or property over or upon

the public highways of the Commonwealth; and

2. All vehicles passing over or upon the highways.

(b) "Motor vehicle" includes all vehicles, as defined in paragraph (a) of this

subsection, except:

1. Road rollers;

2. Road graders;

3. Farm tractors;

4. Vehicles on which power shovels are mounted;

5. Construction equipment customarily used only on the site of

construction and which is not practic al for the transportation of persons

or property upon the highways;

6. Vehicles that travel exclusively upon rails;

7. Vehicles propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires

while being operated within any municipality or where the vehicles do

not travel more than five (5) miles beyond the city limits of any

municipality;

8. Vehicles propelled by muscular power; and

9. Electric low-speed scooters;

(20) "Reflectance" means the ratio of the amount of total light, expressed in a

percentage, which is reflected outward by the product or material to the amount of

total light falling on the product or material;

(21) "Sunscreening material" means a product or ma terial, including film, glazing, and

perforated sunscreening, which, when applied to the windshield or windows of a

motor vehicle, reduces the effects of the sun with respect to light reflectance or

transmittance;

(22) "Transmittance" means the ratio of th e amount of total light, expressed in a

percentage, which is allowed to pass through the product or material, including

glazing, to the amount of total light falling on the product or material and the

glazing;

(23) "Window" means any device designed for ex terior viewing from a motor vehicle,

except the windshield, any roof -mounted viewing device, and any viewing device

having less than one hundred fifty (150) square inches in area;

(24) "All-terrain vehicle" means any motor vehicle used for recreational off-road use;

(25) "Nondivisible load," as pertains to:

(a) State highways that are not part of the national truck network established

pursuant to 23 C.F.R. pt. 658, means a load or vehicle, that if separated into

smaller loads or vehicles:

1. Compromises the intended use of the vehicle, making it unable to

perform the function for which it was intended;

2. Destroys the value of the load or vehicle, making it unusable for its

intended purpose; or

3. Requires more than four (4) work hours to dismantle and reass emble

using appropriate equipment; or

(b) Any highway that is part of the national truck network established pursuant to

23 C.F.R. pt. 658, includes fluid milk products in accordance with 23 U.S.C.

sec. 127(a)(13);

(26) "Electric low-speed scooter" means a device that:

(a) Weighs less than one hundred (100) pounds;

(b) Is equipped with wheels;

(c) Is equipped with handlebars;

(d) Is equipped with a brake adequate enough to stop and park the device;

(e) Is designed to be stood or sat upon;

(f) Is propelled by an electric motor, human power, or both; and

(g) Is designed to operate at a maximum speed of twenty (20) miles per hour, on a

paved level surface, with or without human propulsion;

(27) "Highway work zone" means that portion of a highway and the affecte d area

adjacent to a lane, berm, or shoulder, including a sidewalk, upon which

construction, reconstruction, resurfacing, maintenance, inspection, or other work of

that nature is being conducted by a government agency, private contractor, or utility

company; and

(28) "Weigh station bypass system" means an intelligent transportation system that

offers weigh station bypass, safety alerts, and related services to enhance the

efficiency and safety of commercial motor carrier operations.

Collected 2026-09-05T20:51:41Z. Source file · JSON

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