{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-189.040","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 189.040","heading":"Front lights -- Flashing lights.","body":"(1) Every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or moped, shall be equipped with\nat least two (2) headlamps with at least one (1) on each side of the front of the\nmotor  vehicle, which headlamps  shall comply with the requirements and\nlimitations set forth in this section.\n(2) Every motorcycle and moped  shall be equipped with at least one (1) and not\nmore  than two (2) headlamps which shall comply with the requirements and\nlimitations of this section.\n(3) Except as hereinafter provided, the headlamps or the auxiliary driving lamps or\nthe auxiliary passing lamp or combinations thereof on motor vehicles, other\nthan a motorcycle or moped, shall be so arranged that the driver may control\nthe selection between distribution of light projected to different elevations,\nsubject to the following requirements and limitations:\n(a) There shall be an uppermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so\naimed  and of such intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a\ndistance of at least three hundred fifty (350) feet ahead for all conditions\nof loading;\n(b) There shall be a lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so\naimed  and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a\ndistance of at least one hundred (100) feet ahead; and on a straight level\nroad under any condition of loading none of the high-intensity portion of\nthe beam  shall be directed to strike the eyes of an approaching driver;\nand\n(c) Every new motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle or moped, registered in\nthis state after January 1, 1956, which has multiple-beam road-lighting\nequipment shall be equipped with a beam indicator, which shall be lighted\nwhenever the uppermost distribution of light from the headlamps is in use,\nand  shall not otherwise be lighted. Said indicator shall be so designed\nand located that when lighted it will be readily visible without glare to the\ndriver of the vehicle so equipped.\n(4) Whenever  a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway or shoulder\nadjacent thereto during the times specified in KRS 189.030, the driver shall use\na distribution of light or composite beam directed high enough and of sufficient\nintensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distance in advance of the\nvehicle, subject to the requirements and limitations hereinafter set forth.\n(5) Whenever  a driver of a vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within five\nhundred (500) feet, the driver shall use a distribution of light or composite\nbeam,  so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the\noncoming  driver. The  lowermost distribution of light or composite beam\nspecified in paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of this section shall be deemed  to\navoid glare at all times, regardless of road contour and loading.\n(6) Whenever  the driver of a vehicle follows another vehicle within three hundred\n(300) feet to the rear, except when  engaged  in the act of overtaking and\npassing, the driver shall use a distribution of light other than the uppermost\ndistribution of light specified in paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of this section.\n(7) Headlamps  arranged to provide a single distribution of light not supplemented\nby auxiliary driving lights shall be permitted on motor vehicles manufactured\nand  sold prior to May  30, 1939, in lieu of multiple-beam road-lighting\nequipment, if the single distribution of light complies with the following\nrequirements and limitations:\n(a) The  headlamps shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded\nnone  of the high intensity portion of the light shall, at a distance of\ntwenty-five (25) feet ahead, project higher than a level of five (5) inches\nbelow the level of the center of the light from which it comes, and in no\ncase  higher than forty-two (42) inches above the level on which the\nvehicle stands, at a distance of seventy-five (75) feet ahead;\n(b) The  intensity shall be sufficient to reveal persons and vehicles at a\ndistance of at least two hundred (200) feet; and\n(c) Whenever  the operator of a motor vehicle approaches an oncoming\nvehicle within five hundred (500) feet, he shall use a distribution of light or\ncomposite beam so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the\neyes of the oncoming driver. In no case shall the high intensity portion\nwhich is projected to the left of the prolongation of the extreme left side of\nthe vehicle be aimed higher than the center of the lamp from which it\ncomes  at a distance of twenty-five (25) feet ahead, and in no case higher\nthan a level of forty-two (42) inches above the level upon which the\nvehicle stands at a distance of seventy-five (75) feet ahead.\n(8) Flashing lights are prohibited on all motor vehicles except as a means  for\nindicating a right or left turn or for the purpose of warning the operators of other\nvehicles of the presence of a vehicular traffic hazard requiring the exercise of\nunusual care in approaching, overtaking or passing.\n(9) The height of the headlamps, from the center of the lamp to level ground when\nthe vehicle is unloaded, shall be between twenty-four (24) and fifty-four (54)\ninches.\n(10) Headlamps  required under this section shall only emit white light. Halogen\nheadlamps  may  have a slight yellow or amber tint. Nonhalogen headlamps\nmay  emit a slight blue tint, if the headlamps were installed by the vehicle\nmanufacturer as original equipment in the motor vehicle, motorcycle, or moped\nor the headlamps meet the requirements of subsection (11) of this section.\n(11) A motor vehicle, motorcycle, or moped shall only be equipped with headlamps\nthat meet United States Department of Transportation regulations.\n(12) A motor vehicle, motorcycle, or moped shall not be retrofitted with a headlamp\nthat appears to emit a solid color of light other than white.\n(13) A motor vehicle, motorcycle, or moped shall not be retrofitted with a headlamp\ncover or film that changes the light emitted from the headlamp to a color other\nthan white.\n(14) Except as provided in subsection (10) of this section, except as provided in\nKRS  189.950(3)(b), and except for vehicles exempted under the provisions of\nKRS  189.910 to 189.950, when  operating on  a  highway or upon  the\nright-of-way of a highway, any:\n(a) Visible front lights on a motor vehicle or any light that is affixed to the\nfront of a motorcycle or moped, shall only be white or amber, unless\ninstalled as original equipment by the manufacturer; and\n(b) Visible rear lights on a motor vehicle shall only be white, amber, or red,\nunless installed as original equipment by the manufacturer.\n(15) Any violation of this section for the illumination of a solid blue light or solid blue\nlights shall be deemed to be a violation of KRS 189.950(3).","path":["KRS Chapter 189"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=46291","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:41Z","sha256":"8ee538a6c2171260d0908fb96431409ccfa674104978ea49a8c531e2a1ec8c58","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-189.030","next":"us-ky/krs-189.043"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}