FRANKFORT, KY (July 27, 2026) — Team Kentucky is joining transportation agencies across the eastern U.S. this week to promote a simple message for drivers: “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” before hitting the road. The public awareness campaign, aimed at helping drivers avoid striking low-clearance bridges, runs Monday, July 27, through Friday, July 31.
“Checking your vehicle height will help keep everyone on our roads safer,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “Whether you’re a parent driving a moving truck for your kid’s college move-in day, a long-haul trucker, RV adventurer, or hauling a horse trailer to one of Kentucky’s famous racetracks – taking a couple extra minutes to know your vehicle's clearance can prevent serious damage.”
Bridge strikes, that is when an oversized vehicle collides with a low-clearance bridge, don’t just damage vehicles and bridges, but they can impede traffic and put motorists and emergency responders at risk.
That’s why throughout the week, officials encourage operators of commercial trucks, rental vans, RVs, and other large vehicles to double-check their clearance to safely travel under bridges that extend over state and local roads.
“A navigation device can map the route, but only a driver knows if their vehicle will safely travel under bridges along the way,” said Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman. “Watch for posted clearance signs. If there’s any doubt, don’t guess; pull over and check. Those couple of extra minutes can save hours of cleanup and thousands of dollars in damage.”
KYTC is partnering with the Eastern Transportation Coalition, a partnership of 19 states and D.C., on the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign to connect public agencies across various modes of travel to increase safety and efficiency. This campaign builds on an innovative New York State Department of Transportation initiative that has served as the vanguard for the multi-state collaborative effort.
The campaign targets all classes of drivers, both CDL and passenger vehicle drivers, operating commercial trucks or leased trucks (delivery and moving box-type trucks), recreational vehicles, and vehicles hauling equipment or livestock trailers with anything mounted on the roof.
Crash data shows that drivers don’t always consider vehicle or load height and related restrictions may vary. For example, a typical 26-foot moving or delivery truck could have a height ranging from 11 feet to 13 1/2 feet.
Kentucky has about 180 bridges posted with vertical clearance lower than the 14-foot federal standard.
The coalition also found that drivers of large vehicles (i.e. over-height/overweight commercial trucks, leased/rental/delivery box trucks) often rely on GPS mapping tools intended for passenger cars that don’t take into account commercial vehicle restrictions like height and weight.
That’s why the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet encourages all drivers to follow these tips:
- Measure vehicle from the ground to its highest point, check door decal or owner’s manual for max height before traveling
- Heed height warning signs before bridges and overpasses – anything with less than 14.5ft vertical clearance is posted
- If hauling equipment or livestock, check trailer and load height, including roof-mounted A/C units
- Don’t rely on consumer GPS apps unless it is specific for commercial vehicles
- Ensure dump truck beds are lowered, or tall equipment is stowed properly before entering highway
