{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-189.580","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 189.580","heading":"Duty in case of accident -- Movement of vehicle from roadway after","body":"accident -- Removal of vehicles obstructing roadway -- Exemptions -- Costs of\nremoval recoverable.\n(1) (a) The operator of any vehicle, whose vehicle, vehicle load, or vehicle\nequipment which is involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of\nany person or resulting only in damage to a vehicle or other property which is\ndriven or attended by any person, shall immediately stop and ascertain the\nextent of the injury or damage a nd render reasonable assistance, including the\ncarrying, or making of arrangements for the carrying, of such person to a\nphysician, surgeon, or hospital for medical or surgical treatment if it is\napparent that such treatment is necessary, or if such carryi ng is requested by\nthe injured person. The operator or person having or assuming authority of the\noperator, or ownership of the vehicle, shall give the occupant of the vehicle, or\nperson struck, if requested, the registration number of the vehicle, if any,  and\nalso the names and addresses of the owner, the occupants, and operator. The\ntotal names need not exceed five (5) in number.\n(b) If an accident that occurs on an interstate highway or parkway or any on -ramp\nor off -ramp thereto does not involve death, k nown or visible injury, or the\ntransportation of hazardous material, the operator shall move the vehicle off\nthe roadway to a place as close to the accident scene as practicable without\nobstructing traffic as soon as the vehicle can be moved without the ri sk of\nfurther injury or damage. The operator or person having or assuming authority\nof the operator, or ownership of the vehicle, shall give any other person\ninvolved in the accident, if requested, the registration number of the vehicle, if\nany, and also t he names and addresses of the owner, the occupants, and the\noperator of his or her vehicle, and insurance information for the vehicle.\n(2) The operator of any vehicle which collides with or is involved in an accident with\nany vehicle or other property whic h is unattended resulting in any damage to such\nother vehicle or property shall immediately stop as close to the accident scene as\npossible without obstructing traffic and shall then and there either locate and notify\nthe operator or owner of such vehicle or other property of his or her name, address,\nand the registration number of the vehicle he or she is driving or shall attach\nsecurely in a conspicuous place in or on such vehicle or other property a written\nnotice giving his or her name, address, and the registration number of the vehicle he\nor she is driving, or shall file a report with the local police department.\n(3) If the operator of a vehicle is unable to move a vehicle off the roadway under the\nprovisions of subsections (1) and (2) of this section,  the operator or owner may\npermit any person who possesses a valid operator's license or proper class of\ncommercial driver's license to move the vehicle as provided in this section.\n(4) Except as provided for in subsection (5) of this section, a peace offi cer or safety\nofficer may remove or cause to be removed from the roadway of an interstate\nhighway or parkway or any on -ramp or off -ramp thereto, without consent of the\nowner or operator, any vehicle, cargo, or other property which is obstructing the\nroadway, creating or aggravating an emergency situation, or otherwise endangering\npublic safety. Any vehicle, cargo, or other property obstructing the roadway of an\ninterstate highway or parkway shall be removed by the most expeditious means\navailable to clear the obstruction, giving due regard to the protection of the property\nremoved.\n(5) (a) In accidents that involve fatalities or known or visible injuries, the removal\nprovisions of subsection (4) of this section shall apply only after all medical\nassistance, fire supervision, and site investigation have been completed.\n(b) The removal provisions of subsection (4) of this section shall not apply if an\naccident involves, or is believed to involve, a release of hazardous materials.\n(6) (a) The operator of a vehic le involved in an accident on a highway in this state\nwhich results in a fatality or a known or visible injury to a person or damage\nto a vehicle which renders the vehicle inoperable shall immediately notify a\npublic safety answering point, law enforcement  agency, or law enforcement\nofficer having jurisdiction, if the operator is physically capable of doing so\nand has in his or her possession a functioning communications device with\nwhich to do so.\n(b) In the event an operator fails to notify or is incapabl e of notifying a public\nsafety answering point, law enforcement agency, or law enforcement officer\nhaving jurisdiction, the responsibility for reporting the accident within a\nreasonable amount of time shall rest with the owner of the vehicle or any\noccupant of the vehicle at the time of the accident, if the owner or occupant is\nphysically capable of doing so, has in his or her possession a functioning\ncommunications device with which to do so, and, in the case of the owner,\nknows of the motor vehicle accide nt. A law enforcement officer having\njurisdiction shall investigate the accident and file a written report of the\naccident with the officer's agency.\n(7) The operator of a vehicle involved in an accident on a highway in this state resulting\nin injury to or  death of any person or in which total property damage of five\nhundred dollars ($500) or more is sustained, and in which an investigation is not\nconducted by a law enforcement officer, shall file a written report of the accident\nwith the Department of Kent ucky State Police within ten (10) days of the\noccurrence of the accident upon forms provided by the department.\n(8) Any agency, including the Commonwealth, that removes property from the roadway\nmay intervene in any civil action arising from the accident t o recover any costs\nexpended. An owner of real property shall not be liable for the costs of removal\nunder this section of trees, fences, structures, or other debris which fall into the\nroadway as a result of fire, severe weather, or other casualty.","path":["KRS Chapter 189"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=6419","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:43Z","sha256":"7c452bfa3f2124b58a2bad7529398cd8250cf068367c4c52d921f7be5a504369","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-189.575","next":"us-ky/krs-189.590"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}