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189.940 Exemptions from traffic regulations.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
Except as provided in KRS 189.920, the speed limitations set forth in the
Kentucky Revised Statutes do not apply to emergency vehicles:
(a) When responding to emergency calls; or
(b) To police vehicles when in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of
the law; or
(c) To ambulances when transporting a patient to medical care facilities; and
(d) The driver thereof is giving the warning required by subsection (5)(a) and
(b) of this section.
No portion of this subsection shall be construed to relieve the driver of the duty
to operate the vehicle with due regard for the safety of all persons using the
street or highway.
The driver of an emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, or
of a police vehicle in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, or of
an ambulance transporting a patient to a medical care facility and giving the
warning required by subsection (5) of this section, upon approaching any red
light or stop signal or any stop sign shall slow down as necessary for safety to
traffic, but may proceed past such red or stop light or stop sign with due regard
for the safety of persons using the street or highway.
The driver of an emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, or
of a police vehicle in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law, or of
an ambulance transporting a patient to a medical care facility and giving
warning required by subsection (5) of this section, may drive on the left side of
any highway or in the opposite direction of a one-way street provided the
normal lanes of traffic are blocked and he does so with due regard for the
safety of all persons using the street or highway.
The driver of an emergency or public safety vehicle may stop or park his
vehicle upon any street or highway without regard to the provisions of KRS
189.390 and 189.450, provided that, during the time the vehicle is parked at
the scene of an emergency, at least one (1) warning light is in operation at all
times.
The driver of an emergency vehicle desiring the use of any option granted by
subsections (1) through (3) of this section shall give warning in the following
manner:
(a) By illuminating the vehicle's warning lights continuously during the period
of the emergency; and
(b) By continuous sounding of the vehicle's siren, bell, or exhaust whistle;
unless
(c) The vehicle is an ambulance and the driver is of the opinion that sounding
of the siren, bell, or exhaust whistle would be detrimental to the victim's
health. In the event the driver of an ambulance elects not to use the
siren, bell, or exhaust whistle he shall not proceed past red lights or drive
in the opposite direction on a one-way street or in oncoming lanes of
traffic unless no other vehicles are within five hundred (500) feet of the
front of the ambulance. The driver shall not extinguish the warning lights
(6)
(7)
during the period of the emergency.
No driver or operator of any emergency or public safety or other vehicle shall
use the warning lights or siren, bell, or exhaust whistle of his vehicle for any
purposes or under any circumstances other than those permitted by KRS
189.910 to 189.950.
KRS 189.910 to 189.950 does not relieve the driver of any emergency or public
safety vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all
persons and property upon the highway.
Effective:June 8, 2011
History: Amended 2011 Ky. Acts ch. 99, sec. 3, effective June 8, 2011. -Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch. 371, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1980. -- Amended
1974 Ky. Acts ch. 308, sec. 36. -- Created 1970 Ky. Acts ch. 93, sec. 4.
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