Sharing the Road and Special Situations: Pedestrians, Bicycles, Scooters, Motorcycles, Trucks, Emergency Vehicles, Traffic Stops, Move Over, Slow Vehicles, ATVs, Night, Funerals, Work Zones, Rural Roads, Autocycles and Trailers: Yielding to Every Pedestrian, the $250 Fine and Five-Foot Rule for Blind Pedestrians, Bicycles as Vehicles, Three Feet to Pass, Rules for Riders, Electric Scooters Under 100 Pounds and 20 mph, a Full Lane and Four Seconds for Motorcycles, the No Zones and 335 Feet to Stop a Truck, the Wide Right Turn, Runaway Ramps, Stopping for Red or Blue Lights and Staying 500 Feet Back, What to Do When Pulled Over, the Move Over Law, the Orange Triangle Under 25 mph, ATVs Crossing at 90 Degrees, High Beams and Dimming at 500 and 300 Feet, Funeral Processions and the $250 Fine, Double Fines With Workers Present, Gravel, Narrow Bridges and Uncontrolled Crossroads, Three-Wheeled Autocycles Over 40 mph, and Trailers Loaded 60/40 at 55 mph

Written for aiforu2 as the source for a practice-test bank and the on-device tutor for the Kentucky Class D operator's license knowledge test. The facts follow the official manual; the wording is ours.

Source: Kentucky Driver Manual (KSP/KYTC, July 2026 edition), Section Ten "Sharing the Road" (pages 59–67) and Section Eleven "Special Driving Situations" (pages 68–71).

Pedestrians

Everyone has a right to the road. Pedestrians are hard to see and their intentions hard to read: always be ready to yield even outside a crosswalk; you must yield to a pedestrian in any marked or unmarked crosswalk, including mid-block crosswalks marked by signs and pavement; you must yield to all pedestrians in an intersection even on a green light; be ready to yield when turning right or left on red; beside parked or stopped vehicles slow down and do not pass until you are sure no one is crossing in front; check for pedestrians before backing, especially in parking lots; drive slower than the limit near playgrounds and in residential areas where children run out; obey the slower school-zone limit when lights flash or children are present, and stop and yield when a school crossing patrol signals. A pedestrian crossing outside any marked or unmarked crosswalk must yield to vehicles. Kentucky law requires yielding to a blind pedestrian carrying a visible white cane or accompanied by an assistance dog, and failing to yield can cost up to $250. At a light or stop sign, stop no more than five feet from the crosswalk unless there is an advance stop bar, since the blind pedestrian uses your engine sound as a guide; drivers of quiet electric and hybrid vehicles must be extra alert; give no verbal directions, since the pedestrian listens to all traffic sounds before crossing; do not wait too long; a step back and a pulled-in cane is your sign to go; never stop in the middle of a crosswalk, which forces the pedestrian around your car into traffic; and never honk, which startles a person who cannot tell who is being honked at.

Bicyclists and electric scooters

Bicycles are vehicles on the road, with the same rights, privileges and responsibilities; skilled riders hold a steady line while unskilled ones may swerve, ignore signals and ride unlit at night, so be ready for sudden moves. Yield to bicyclists at intersections as to pedestrians and vehicles; yield where a bike path or lane crosses a road, and never stop, park or drive in a bike lane except entering or leaving an alley or driveway, on official duty, under police direction or in an emergency; slow and give as much space as possible, letting a cyclist clear the intersection before you turn; avoid sudden slowing or stopping, since your brakes are far stronger than a bicycle's; avoid the horn near bicyclists unless a crash is likely, since it can startle them into your path; watch for children riding sidewalks who may enter the road; never turn sharply in front of a rider or force one off the road; look for bicycles anywhere on the road even though they must ride with traffic; take extra care when the road is wet, sandy or graveled, which affects bicycles far more; a bicycle's turn signal, by hand, lamp or device, must be given intermittently during the last 50 feet before the turn, but riders may be unable to signal when both hands must stay on the bars, so watch for a turned head or a look over the shoulder; check to the sides and rear for bicyclists before opening a door and before backing, especially near schools and homes; pass slowly with as much room as possible, at least three feet recommended, returning right only when well clear; and know any local bicycle ordinances. Riders must never use interstates or parkways, must use hand signals, obey signals and signs including stop signs and lights, keep within limits and reasonable speeds, ride on the right with traffic, yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and on sidewalks with an audible warning before passing, show a white front light and red rear reflector or light at night, keep as close as practical to the right edge with extreme caution when moving to the center for debris, passing or a left turn, never ride on the sidewalk, never park on one so as to interfere with pedestrians, use an adjacent bike path if provided, carry no more people than the bicycle is built for, and never ride more than two abreast in a way that interferes with traffic. An electric low-speed scooter weighs under 100 pounds, has wheels, handlebars and a brake, is stood or sat upon, runs by motor, human power or both, and is designed for no more than 20 mph on level pavement; a person 16 or older may ride one on a highway, bike lane or bike path; scooters follow the same traffic rules as bicycles and drivers use the same caution; they need at least one headlamp and one rear red light, lit from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise or in low visibility; they may be parked on a sidewalk that stays passable; and local ordinances apply.

Motorcyclists

Motorcyclists have the same rights and responsibilities but are harder to see. Give a motorcycle the full lane width and never share it, since the rider needs room to react; check mirrors and blind spots for them; look carefully ahead and to the sides before turning left; do not assume a flashing signal means a turn, because motorcycle signals may not self-cancel, and wait until the rider actually turns; follow at least four seconds behind, more when wet; expect riders to change speed or lane position suddenly for potholes, gravel, slick surfaces, pavement seams, railroad crossings and grooved pavement, which can be deadly to them; and remember scooters and mopeds are much slower than motorcycles.

Commercial vehicles

More than 250,000 car-truck crashes happen each year. Commercial vehicles are larger and less maneuverable, have much larger blind spots, and need longer distances to stop and accelerate and more room to turn. The No Zone is the area around a truck or bus where vehicles disappear into blind spots on the sides, rear and front. Side no zones are large on both sides, the right one larger, starting behind the cab and running the truck's length; if you cannot see the driver's face in the side mirror, the driver cannot see you, so avoid riding alongside. In front, a loaded truck with good tires and brakes in ideal conditions at 55 mph needs at least 335 feet to stop, more than 1½ times a car, so never change lanes or enter a road in front of a large vehicle, and when passing wait until its whole front shows in your rearview mirror before pulling in and keep your speed. Behind, blind spots run up to 200 feet, where the driver cannot see you and you cannot see ahead, so if the truck brakes suddenly you have nowhere to go; do not follow closely and position yourself where the driver's side mirrors show you. On steep hills trucks must go about 35 mph and use the right lane, so avoid the right lane on hills and near weigh stations where trucks re-enter faster traffic. Watch a truck's signals and give it room: to turn right it may swing wide left, sometimes using other lanes, and a car that slips between the truck and the curb gets squeezed, so wait until the turn is complete. Meeting a truck, keep far right to avoid a sideswipe and the wind turbulence that pushes vehicles apart; at intersections drivers misjudge truck speed before turning left, so when in doubt do not turn in front of one; stop lines set you back to give large vehicles turning space, so stop behind them; never cut off a truck to reach an exit or beat it into a single-lane construction zone; on downgrades watch for fast trucks and get out of the way of one that seems out of control; runaway ramps on long downgrades are only for out-of-control large vehicles, so never stop or park near one; stopped behind a truck on an upgrade, stay to the left of your lane where the driver sees you and leave room for the truck to drift back; avoid the right lane near weigh stations; and avoid vehicles placarded for hazardous materials, which must stop at all railroad crossings.

Emergency vehicles, traffic stops and moving over

You must yield to any vehicle showing a flashing red or blue light or sounding a siren: immediately drive to the right side of the road or the curb, clear of any intersection, stop, and stay stopped until it has passed unless a police officer or firefighter directs you to move; following an emergency vehicle closer than 500 feet is unlawful. When police pull you over, stay calm and do not stop abruptly in the travel lane; turn off the engine, turn on the hazard flashers and at night the interior lights, and roll the window fully down; keep your belt fastened and ask passengers to do the same; do not start gathering documents but keep your hands on the wheel and limit movement; when asked, say where the license, insurance and registration are, then reach slowly with one hand on the wheel; answer fully and clearly and stay in the vehicle unless asked out; if cited, do not argue at the roadside, which is not the place for complaints; officers may ask you to stop or step out for many reasons, so listen and be patient; and never run from police, since chases cause many fatal crashes and the consequences exceed any citation. When the stop ends, wait for the officer to return to the patrol car, watch traffic and the departing police vehicle, signal to re-enter and obey all laws. Move-over laws answer the rising toll of officers, medics and firefighters struck at the roadside: approaching a stopped emergency vehicle, slow and move into a lane not next to it if safe, or slow and proceed with caution at a safe speed. Kentucky requires due caution approaching police or emergency vehicles stopped on the shoulder; on four-lane highways approach slowly and move to the left lane if safe, and on two-lane highways approach slowly and pass with caution.

Slow-moving vehicles and ATVs

Be alert for slow vehicles, especially in rural areas: a fluorescent or reflective orange and red triangle on the rear of animal-drawn, farm or construction equipment means it travels under 25 mph, the orange center showing by day and the red border reflecting at night; be sure it is safe before passing. Tractors, combines and other farm equipment cross and travel rural highways, and their operators cannot hear you. Animal-drawn vehicles and horseback riders have the same rights and duties, are badly damaged when hit, must not be honked at or revved at since a scared horse can cause a crash, and may turn left into fields and driveways; warning signs mark their areas. An all-terrain vehicle is a recreational off-road vehicle and may not be driven on any public highway or its right-of-way, with exceptions: a rider needs the owner's consent on private property and approved headgear whenever moving on public property; a rider under 16 rides only under direct parental supervision with headgear; a parent may not knowingly let a child under 16 or without a permit or license carry a passenger; an ATV may cross a two-lane highway at as close to 90 degrees as practical without traveling more than two-tenths of a mile on it; it may run on a two-lane highway for farm, construction, road maintenance or snow removal work; and on a public highway the operator needs a valid license, obeys all traffic rules, keeps at least one headlight and two taillights lit, and drives only in daylight except for snow removal or emergency road maintenance.

Night driving and funeral processions

Night driving is harder because your view ends where your headlights do. Use high beams whenever no vehicle is coming, since they show twice as far; dim for approaching traffic, and if a driver keeps high beams on, look toward the right edge of the road; use low beams when following and in fog, rain or snow, where high beams glare back, and fog lights if you have them; never look into oncoming headlights; search beyond your beams for dark shapes; dim within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet of a vehicle you are following; glance right and left for the pavement edge and side hazards; never wear sunglasses or colored lenses at night or on overcast days; add at least one second of following distance at night and at least two on unfamiliar roads; and turn the headlights on whenever you have trouble seeing others. A funeral procession led by an escort vehicle with flashing yellow, red or blue lights has the right-of-way at an intersection, except for an emergency vehicle, a police or safety officer's direction, or a train; do not drive between its vehicles unless an officer allows, do not turn on your headlights or do anything else to claim the right-of-way, and do not pass or overtake it unless directed to or unless it is outside city, town or urban-county limits or on an interstate or parkway; violation brings a $250 fine or 90 days in jail.

Work zones and rural roads

A work zone involves lane closures, detours and moving equipment; about 40,000 people a year are injured in work zone crashes. Watch for signs, cones, barrels, large vehicles and workers; the signs are orange with black letters or symbols; always slow in a work zone even with no workers, since narrow lanes and rough pavement are hazards; and fines may be doubled when signs announce a work zone and doubled fines and at least one bona fide worker is present. Reduce speed, lengthen your following distance, watch traffic and be ready to stop; use extreme caution at night with or without workers; adjust lane position to give workers and vehicles room; obey the signs until "End Road Work"; expect delays and leave early; and use alternate routes when you can. Rural highways have their own hazards: gravel or dirt cuts traction, so slow, add distance and expect skids when stopping; narrow roads have ditches or drop-offs instead of shoulders, so slow, center your vehicle in the lane and watch for oncoming traffic sharing your lane; at narrow or single-lane bridges take turns, with the first driver to the bridge generally holding the right-of-way; open gratings and steel bridges reduce traction, so slow, add distance and grip the wheel firmly; blind corners from woods, crops and steep hills limit sight, so slow and be ready to stop; and uncontrolled rural intersections without stop or yield signs are very dangerous, so slow and be ready to stop for crossing or oncoming traffic.

Autocycles and trailers

An autocycle seats its riders as in a car, runs on three wheels, exceeds 40 mph, seats people side by side or in tandem under a fixed or removable top, has three-point belts and may have air bags or a roll cage, and is steered with a wheel and pedals; it counts as a motorcycle for traffic regulations, yet its operator needs only a valid operator's license, not a motorcycle license or endorsement, and is exempt from headgear rules. Towing is common, and driver error causes the great majority of trailer crashes, so hook up, load and drive properly. Load trailers heavier in front, 60 percent of cargo weight toward the tow vehicle and 40 percent in back, since a rear-heavy trailer sways and this failure is a leading cause of mishaps. If the trailer sways or whips, steer straight and slow gradually without braking and never speed up, stop completely off the road as soon as safe, check that the load is heavier in front and reload if needed, keep heavy items on the floor, pack tightly and tie down partial loads. Adopt a compensating attitude and change your driving to fit the combination: drive more slowly, with 55 mph the maximum recommended for most combinations and never above the posted limit, slower still in bad conditions, and slow before starting down a grade; allow more distance to stop, more still in rain, snow or fog; allow more distance to pass and do not pass on hills or curves; remember the trailer does not track directly behind and needs extra room in turns; back up slowly with your hand at the bottom of the wheel, moving it left to send the trailer left and right to send it right, and if the trailer starts to jackknife, stop and pull ahead to straighten. Seek a professional's advice if unsure; walk around before driving and at every fuel stop to recheck the hitch and coupler, safety chains, lights and tire pressures; stop off the road to investigate any unusual noise; plan rest stops rather than driving straight through; and follow the checklist: load heavier in front, hitch tight, chains attached, lights working, tire pressures right, reduced speed, thinking ahead, frequent rest, frequent inspection, secure load and seat belt on.

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