Can I get a ticket for using a map app in Kentucky? It can depend on your age
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kentucky law prohibits texting while driving for drivers of all ages.
- Drivers younger than age of 18 must not manually input data while moving.
- Violators face fines and potential civil liability if negligence causes injury or death.
Distracted drivers accounted for more than 20% of the fatal crashes that occurred in the Bluegrass State in 2024, according to figures released by Gov. Andy Beshear’s administration this spring.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines distracted driving as any activity that diverts a driver’s attention from the road, whether that’s talking to passengers, fiddling with the stereo or applying makeup. The agency calls texting the most alarming distraction. While it only takes about five seconds to send or receive one, when a vehicle is traveling at 55 miles per hour, it’s like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed.
Kentucky’s distracted driving laws prohibit texting and driving, but what about other potential distractions, such as GPS navigation and navigation apps? Here’s what to know.
What are Kentucky’s distracted driving laws?
There are two main laws that govern distracted driving in Kentucky, as explained by Hughes & Coleman, an injury law firm with offices in Kentucky and Tennessee. The Herald-Leader has called the law firm for further comment.
Kentucky Revised Statutes 189.292 was enacted in 2010. It prohibits drivers of any age from using a “personal communication device” to write, send or read text messages while driving.
Specifically, it states, “no person shall, while operating a motor vehicle that is in motion on the traveled portion of a roadway, write, send, or read text-based communication using a personal communication device to manually communicate with any person using text-based communication.”
This includes but isn’t limited to text messages, instant messages or emails, according to the statute.
KRS 189.292 defines a personal communication device to include any device “capable of two-way audio or text communication that emits an audible signal, vibrates, displays a message, or otherwise summons or delivers communication to the possessor, including but not limited to a paging device and a cellular telephone.”
KRS 189.294, the state’s other major distracted driving law, reinforces this rule for drivers under the age of 18.
What do they say about using map apps while driving?
While Kentucky drivers are generally barred from using their phones behind the wheel, it isn’t a completely hands-free state. KRS 189.292 outlines a few limited exceptions, including using a mobile phone’s GPS. Other exceptions laid out in the statute include:
- Using a GPS or other navigation system that is physically or electronically integrated into the vehicle.
- Reading, selecting or entering a telephone number or name to make a phone call.
- Operators of emergency or public safety vehicles when using a personal communication device is an essential function of the job.
- Writing a text message to report illegal activity, summon medical help, summon law enforcement or a public safety agency or prevent injury to a person or property.
KRS 189.294 also enables drivers under the age of 18 to use a mobile phone’s GPS navigation, but it specifically does not allow manually entering information into that navigation tool while the vehicle is in motion.
What is the penalty for distracted driving in Kentucky?
KRS 189.990, which lays out the penalties for many different kinds of traffic violations, states individuals who violate either of Kentucky’s distracted driving laws are subject to $25 fines for the first offense and $50 fines for each following offense.
According to Hughes & Coleman, distracted drivers could also face civil penalties if it can be shown their negligence caused injuries or death. Drivers in those cases could be responsible for various damages, including property damage, medical bills, lost wages and wrongful death, to name a few examples.
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