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Check Your Height, Know It’s Right campaign rolls out across 26 U.S. states to curb bridge strikes
From July 27 to July 31, 2026 a multistate public‑awareness effort called the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign is active in 26 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. The drive, led by the Eastern Transportation Coalition—a partnership of 19 states and the District of Columbia—aims to prevent low‑clearance bridge strikes by urging drivers of commercial trucks, rental vans, RVs and other over‑height vehicles to verify their vehicle height before traveling.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Goodman and Governor Andy Beshear joined the campaign, noting that Kentucky alone has about 180 bridges with vertical clearances below the 14‑foot federal standard. Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) Commissioner Lyndsay Quist warned that drivers cannot rely solely on consumer GPS apps, which often omit commercial‑vehicle restrictions. New York Governor Kathy Hochul also promoted the effort, citing the state’s 310 bridge‑strike incidents in 2025 and the eight‑point violation penalty introduced in February for such strikes. State troopers will increase patrols on known problem routes, and the New York State Department of Transportation’s 511NY service now includes a “Trucker Mode” showing height‑restricted bridges.
The campaign’s message is consistent across participating states: measure vehicle height, heed posted clearance signs, and use commercial‑grade navigation tools. Officials hope the coordinated education, enforcement and public‑awareness push will sharply reduce bridge‑strike incidents, protecting infrastructure, traffic flow and first‑responders.
Entities
Andy Beshear · Check Your Height, Know It’s Right campaign · Eastern Transportation Coalition · Governor Andy Beshear · Governor Kathy Hochul · Kathy Hochul · Kentucky Transportation Cabinet · Lyndsay Quist · New York State Department of Transportation
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] State transportation agencies in the eastern U.S. launched the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign from July 27 to July 31 to prevent bridge strikes. middlesboronews.com · winchestersun.com · cdllife.com · wnyt.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] New York recorded 310 bridge‑strike incidents in 2025. wnyt.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] New York introduced an eight‑point violation penalty for bridge strikes in February. wnyt.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Eastern Transportation Coalition is a partnership of 19 states and Washington, D.C. middlesboronews.com · winchestersun.com · cdllife.com · wnyt.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The campaign advises drivers not to rely on consumer GPS apps for height‑restriction information. middlesboronews.com · winchestersun.com · cdllife.com · wnyt.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist said drivers must know their vehicle height and cannot rely only on navigation systems. cdllife.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Kentucky has about 180 bridges posted with vertical clearance lower than the 14‑foot federal standard. middlesboronews.com · winchestersun.com · cdllife.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The campaign expanded to 26 states and Washington, D.C., up from 16 states the previous year. wnyt.com · middlesboronews.com · winchestersun.com · cdllife.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign runs from July 27 to July 31, 2026 in 26 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. middlesboronews.com · winchestersun.com · cdllife.com · wnyt.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Governor Andy Beshear and Governor Kathy Hochul promoted the campaign and urged drivers to check vehicle height before traveling under bridges. middlesboronews.com · winchestersun.com · wnyt.com