Lane-splitting one step closer to legalisation in California

Filtering is a controversial subject over in the States.

California, however have made the first moves to allow filtering to be legalised after the State assembly unanimously approved a bill that formally identifies ‘Lane-Splitting’. Meaning that it’s now one step closer to being fully legal practise.

While Californian motorcyclists have been doing it for years, the practise falls into neither the legal or illegal categories, leaving it in some grey area between the two.

However, if the bill is signed, California will become the first state to clarify and officially sanction lane-splitting, eliminating any previous uncertainty regarding the law.

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A 2015 study completed by the University of California based around statistics from motorcycle collisions concluded: “Lane-splitting appears to be a relatively safe motorcycle riding strategy if done in traffic moving at 50mph or less and if motorcyclists do not exceed the speed of other vehicles by more than 15mph.”

To become fully legalised, Governor Jerry Brown will need to sign the bill but it is believed that there is a good chance of it passing. 

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