Kentucky ponders Amish exemption for safety sign

Posted on April 6, 2012

A bill designed to exempt Amish Kentuckians from being legally required to equip their horse-drawn buggies with triangular, brightly colored “Slow Moving Vehicle” signs has not as of yet been signed into law by the state’s governor.

Citing a conflict with their religious beliefs, members of Swartzentruber, Kentucky’s more conservative Amish have spoken out against the requirement that they display these signs. The triangular shape of the warning sign, they say, is representative of the Holy Trinity, something the Swartzentruber’s religion forbids them to depict. Also, they say, the luminous orange hue of the signs calls would attract unnecessary attention to them, another practice discouraged by their religious beliefs. Senate Bill 75, which was passed by the Kentucky state legislature last month, weighs the possible increase of traffic safety against the right to religious expression for individuals in the state. If enacted, the law would permit the Amish to affix gray or silver reflector tape to their buggies in lieu of the brightly colored warning signs.

In the past, some of Kentucky’s Amish have opted to serve time in jail rather than attach the orange triangles to their buggies even though accidents involving motor vehicles and Amish buggies have previously killed people in locations across the country.

As a Bakersfield car accident lawyer, I would like to see safer roads for all vehicles. If you or someone you love has been injured in an automobile accident, please consider discussing your legal options with a Fresno car accident attorney.

How Can We Help You?

If you have a legal matter you would like to discuss with an attorney from our firm, please call us at (310) 477-1700 or complete and submit the e-mail form below, and we will get back to you.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

*Required Fields