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12 Kentucky traffic laws and tips for ticket avoidance

Stories by Lexington Herald-Leader journalists, with AI summarization

The curated articles about Kentucky speeding laws and advice for avoiding tickets commonly highlight various traffic regulations drivers should know and interpret how these laws affect everyday driving behavior. They explore aspects of traffic law such as avoiding traffic signals by using parking lots, legally braking when followed closely, tinting windows, and driving ATVs on roads.

Learn more about Kentucky's traffic laws with the stories below.

Outbound traffic on Tates Creek Road was bumper to bumper for almost 9 miles on Tuesday as fans of Luke Bryan tried to get to his concert at Talon Winery & Vineyards. It took hours for many concertgoers to get there; some turned around and went home.

NO. 1: IS IT LEGAL TO BRAKE CHECK A DRIVER FOR FOLLOWING TOO CLOSELY? WHAT KENTUCKY LAW SAYS

Who is at fault if there’s a crash? | Published June 11, 2024 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

Changes in speed limits are coming to Johnson County.

NO. 2: WANT TO AVOID POINTS ON YOUR LICENSE AFTER A SPEEDING TICKET? HOW YOU CAN IN LEXINGTON

Through the Drive Safe Lexington program, drivers caught speeding can pay tickets online through an interactive program which does not involve going to court and doesn’t affect their record. | Published June 1, 2023 | Read Full Story by Taylor Six

Horse and buggies parked outside the WeCare Clinic in Pembroke, Kentucky, in early December. By Silas Walker

NO. 3: IS IT ILLEGAL TO PASS A HORSE AND BUGGY WHILE DRIVING IN KENTUCKY? WHAT STATE LAW SAYS

Kentucky is one of the most populous states when it comes to Amish communities. | Published July 18, 2023 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

A Bibb County man died Monday, days after crashing into a deer while driving an all-terrain vehicle.

NO. 4: CAN YOU DRIVE YOUR ATV, FOUR-WHEELER ON KENTUCKY ROADS? HERE’S WHAT STATE LAW SAYS

Just how old do ATV drivers need to be? The answer might surprise you. | Published August 10, 2023 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

Vehicles navigate the dual-lane roundabout at Eagle and Amity roads on July 19, 2022.

NO. 5: HOW DOES A ROUNDABOUT WORK AND WHO HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY? WHAT KENTUCKY TRAFFIC LAW SAYS

One Kentucky city is scheduled to get 10 more roundabouts by the end of 2024. | Published August 25, 2023 | Read Full Story by Meredith Howard

The intersection of KY 1006 and US 25 is photographed in London, Ky., on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. Cars are moving along KY 1006, the road that leads into the Greer Industrial Park where WB Transport is located.

NO. 6: ARE YOU ‘RAT RUNNING?’ WHAT KY LAW SAYS ABOUT CUTTING THROUGH PARKING LOTS TO SKIP A LIGHT

Is the practice legal? A few laws may apply. | Published February 5, 2024 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

Tinted car windows. By Aleksandr Potashev

NO. 7: ARE TINTED WINDSHIELDS AND WINDOWS LEGAL IN KY? WHAT A NEW STATE LAW MEANS FOR DRIVERS

How much can you tint your vehicle’s windshield? A new law made some changes. | Published April 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

An unmarked police car displays a blue light in this stock image from Getty Images. By Elmar Gubisch

NO. 8: CAN A KENTUCKY POLICE OFFICER IN AN UNMARKED CAR PULL YOU OVER? WHAT STATE LAW SAYS

Kentucky law outlines which types of vehicles can use flashing lights and sirens. | Published June 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

A driver on a golf cart at the intersection of Lexington’s Chinoe and Cochran Roads during the morning commute, May 20, 2021. By Brian Simms

NO. 9: HEADING TO A LEXINGTON POOL OR PARK? DRIVING A GOLF CART ON STREETS IS ILLEGAL

Golf carts, and complaints about them, started appearing on Lexington streets in 2020. | Published June 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Beth Musgrave

Kentucky’s DUI laws apply to horseback riders as well as drivers of motor vehicles. By Igor Alecsander

NO. 10: CAN YOU GET A DUI WHILE RIDING A HORSE IN KY? THE LAW’S NOT HORSING AROUND

Giddy up responsibly? | Published July 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

Special placards enable disabled Kentuckians to park in accessible spots, but there are several rules around their use. By Roman Bulatov

NO. 11: WHO CAN USE DISABLED PARKING PERMITS AND PLATES IN KENTUCKY? SEE STATE’S RULES

More than 44 million people in the U.S. | Published August 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

According to Florida law, it is illegal to possess an open container of alcohol or to consume alcohol while you’re driving or while you’re a passenger in a motor vehicle.

NO. 12: CAN YOU DRINK WHILE SOMEONE ELSE DRIVES IN KENTUCKY? WHAT STATE LAW ALLOWS

Fewer Kentuckians are dying in fatal crashes, with the number of highway fatalities in 2024 dropping to their lowest level in 10 years. | Published August 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Aaron Mudd

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.