{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-189.340","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 189.340","heading":"Overtaking vehicles, bicycles, or electric low-speed scooters -- Traffic lanes","body":"-- Following vehicles -- Exemption for commercial motor vehicle platoon\ntrailing vehicle.\n(1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking other vehicles proceeding in t he same direction\nshall pass to the left of them and shall not again drive to the right until reasonably\nclear of those vehicles. The driver of a vehicle overtaking streetcars may pass either\nto the right or left when so directed by a police officer, when on a one (1) way street\nor where the location of the tracks prevents compliance with this section, with\nregard for other traffic.\n(2) (a) The driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or electric low -speed scooter\nproceeding in the same direction shall:\n1. If there is more than one (1) lane for traffic proceeding in the same\ndirection, move the vehicle to the immediate left, if the lane is available\nand moving in the lane is reasonably safe; or\n2. If there is only one (1) lane for traffic proceeding in the s ame direction,\npass to the left of the bicycle or electric low -speed scooter at a distance\nof not less than three (3) feet between any portion of the vehicle and the\nbicycle or electric low -speed scooter and maintain that distance until\nsafely past the ove rtaken bicycle or electric low -speed scooter. If space\non the roadway is not available to have a minimum distance of three (3)\nfeet between the vehicle and the bicycle or electric low -speed scooter,\nthen the driver of the passing vehicle shall use reasonab le caution in\npassing the bicyclist or electric low-speed scooter operator.\n(b) The driver of a motor vehicle may drive to the left of the center of a roadway,\nincluding when a no -passing zone is marked in accordance with subsection\n(6) of this section, to  pass a person operating a bicycle or electric low -speed\nscooter only if the roadway to the left of the center is unobstructed for a\nsufficient distance to permit the driver to pass the person operating the bicycle\nor electric low -speed scooter safely and avoid interference with oncoming\ntraffic. This paragraph does not authorize driving on the left side of the center\nof the roadway when otherwise prohibited under state law.\n(c) The operator of a bicycle or electric low -speed scooter shall not ride more\nthan two (2) abreast on a single highway lane unless operating on any part of\nthe roadway marked exclusively for bicycle use. Persons riding two (2)\nabreast shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.\n(3) The operator of a vehicle may over take and pass upon the right of another vehicle\nonly under the following conditions:\n(a) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn; or\n(b) Upon a roadway with unobstructed pavement of sufficient width for two (2)\nor more lines of vehicles moving lawfully in the direction being traveled by\nthe overtaking vehicle.\n(4) The operator of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only\nunder conditions permitting the passing in safety, and not by driving off the\nroadway unless the vehicle being passed is at a complete stop and the passing may\nbe made safely.\n(5) A person shall not drive a vehicle to the left side of the center of the roadway in\novertaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction unless the\nleft side is clearly visible and free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance\nahead to permit overtaking and passing to be completely made without inter fering\nwith the safe operation of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction or\nany vehicle overtaken. In every event, the overtaking vehicle must return to the\nright-hand side of the roadway before coming within two hundred (200) feet of any\nvehicle approaching from the opposite direction.\n(6) The commissioner of highways is hereby authorized to determine those portions of\nany highway where overtaking and passing or driving to the left of the roadway\nwould be especially hazardous and may by approp riate signs or markings on the\nroadway indicate the beginning and end of the zones, and when signs or markings\nare in place and clearly visible to an ordinarily observant person, every driver of a\nvehicle shall obey the directions thereof, except as provid ed for in subsection (2)(b)\nof this section.\n(7) Whenever any roadway has been divided into three (3) or more clearly marked\nlanes for travel in one (1) direction, the following additional rules shall apply:\n(a) A person shall drive a vehicle as nearly as may be practical entirely within a\nsingle lane and shall not move from that lane until the driver ascertains that\nthe movement can be made with safety;\n(b) A person shall not drive a vehicle in the center lane except when overtaking\nand passing another veh icle where the roadway is clearly visible and the\ncenter lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance, or in preparation for a left\nturn or where a center lane is at the time allocated exclusively to traffic\nmoving in the direction in which the vehicle is proceeding and is signposted\nto give notice of the allocation;\n(c) A person shall not operate a truck tractor, trailer, or semitrailer in the leftmost\nlane except when entering or leaving a highway, yielding to traffic coming\nonto the highway, or when t raffic conditions exist which would prohibit safe\nuse of the right or center lanes; and\n(d) Official signs may be erected directing slow -moving traffic to use a\ndesignated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same\ndirection and operators of vehicles shall obey the directions of these signs.\n(8) On any limited access highway of four (4) lanes or more with a posted speed limit\nof at least sixty-five (65) miles per hour, a person shall not operate a motor vehicle\nin the leftmost lane, except when:\n(a) Overtaking a slower vehicle;\n(b) Yielding to traffic coming onto the highway; or\n(c) Traffic or road conditions exist which would prohibit safe use of the right or\ncenter lanes.\n(9) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection, the operator of a motor\nvehicle shall not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and\nprudent, having regard for the speed of the vehicle and the traffic upon and\ncondition of the highway.\n(b) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this sub section, the operator of any\nmotor truck, semitrailer truck, bus, or heavy construction equipment unit,\nwhen traveling upon a highway outside of a business or residential district,\nshall not follow within two hundred fifty (250) feet of another vehicle or\nequipment unit. This subsection shall not prevent overtaking and passing, nor\nshall it apply to any lane specially designated for use of motor trucks or\nsemitrailer trucks, buses or heavy construction equipment units.\n(c) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this sub section shall not apply to a trailing\ncommercial motor vehicle involved in a platoon as defined in KRS 281.010,\nbut shall apply to the commercial motor vehicle leading a platoon.","path":["KRS Chapter 189"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=55539","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:42Z","sha256":"5fc4a59bba48b272b229c0dd1a0042ead8ea25a7b5934c425586d097b849f9e6","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-189.338","next":"us-ky/krs-189.345"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}