What is Lane Splitting?
While "lane splitting" is a term not commonly known among all drivers, it is fairly common among motorcyclists. The concept is fairly basic, with a motorcyclist either making a lane change into a position between lanes or driving between cars in a lane, typically so that the motorcyclist can avoid being behind a particular vehicle in traffic. It is a way for motorcyclists to increase efficiency and, unlike for other vehicles, is often a matter of safety . Roadways are perilous for motorcyclists, and having to stop behind a large vehicle, such as a truck, can place the motorcyclist at risk of being rear-ended. Of course, motorcyclists will sometimes lane split even when it does not result in a safety benefit, such as when they are behind an inattentive driver. Under rare circumstances, lane splitting could also be a matter of convenience for the motorcyclist. However, when balanced against the increased risk of lane splitting, convenience is less deserving of mention as a reason to practice it.
Tennessee’s Lane Splitting Laws
Lane splitting, or riding a motorcycle or scooter between rows of slow-moving or stopped vehicles in the same lane, while not specifically addressed in Tennessee’s traffic laws, is prohibited by default under the state’s reckless driving statute because it is a basic safety hazard. When the speed of motor vehicles units (cars and trucks) exceeds 10 mph, motorcyclists are most often involved in a serious accident. Lane splitting only exacerbate the risk.
In 2017, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a report that found that motorcyclist lane splitting is safer for motorcyclists. It protects motorcyclists from rear-end collisions, gives them access to an escape route if traffic suddenly stops, and makes it possible for lanes of stopped traffic to move faster as well. But safety should never be taken for granted. Pedestrians have been known to open doors into the line of traffic. Motorists may not take notice of motorcycles in the lanes to their side and change lanes, fail to yield as they attempt to turn right, and cutting across the path of motorcyclists. And, when motorcyclists are forced to split into the space between trucks with blind spots, they risk their lives whenever the trucks make a wide right-hand turn. The fact is it is dangerous out there.
Tennessee does not have a lane splitting law. Lawmakers tried to pass one after the NTSB report was released, but it failed. Proposed legislation such as HB 1311/SB 0679, which would have excluded lane splitting from the definition of reckless driving and let motorcyclists ride legally between the rows of stopped vehicles, died in the Legislature.
Although there appears to have been little support for a lane splitting bill in 2018, Senator Lee Harris, who has been an advocate for motorcyclists, will sponsor it in the 2019 session. Harris is an attorney who works with clients injured in motorcycle accidents. Harris knows motorcycle collisions are often the result of other drivers’ inattentiveness. He will introduce the bill again, but because of how lawmakers acted in 2018, he expects push back. Harris’ position is that motorcyclists deserve the same right to lane splitting as do bicyclists.
People for Bikes has endorsed the practice, not only suggesting that it is safe, but that it would reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.
Tennessee & Other States
While Tennessee has yet to formally adopt lane splitting legislation, other states across the nation have moved towards permitting the motorcycle practice. California has formally permitted lane splitting since 2016 when Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law clarifying that it is legal. Yet over the years, motorcyclists in California have been very vocal about outfit police officers not knowing the law and ticketing them anyway.
States that have de facto laws permitting lane splitting, meaning that law enforcement and the state do not pursue cases against those who lane split, include Colorado, Maryland, and Texas. Whether the state as a whole has adopted these laws on lane splitting varies by region and locality.
Of these states, California’s lane splitting laws are the most permissive. There, the law allows motorcyclists to split into alleyways or near parked vehicles, provided that they can safely fit into those spaces. Additionally, California motorcyclists who lane split are permitted to drive up to 10 mph over the speed limit, though that speed cannot exceed 30 mph even on highways.
Researchers from UC Berkeley have noted that the city of San Diego has not seen an increase in traffic injuries since its residents began participating in lane splitting. Some researchers attribute this to the fact that lane splitting reduces the amount of time that motorcyclists spend in traffic and the likelihood of a rear-end accident.
Safety Risks & Advice
While advocates of lane splitting point to potential safety benefits, many motorcyclists and public safety officials warn that this tactic, in which motorcyclists split the lane between vehicles traveling in two lanes of traffic, does not improve their safety and could actually reduce it. For example, lanes often hold potholes and other roadway obstructions, which are a greater hazard when traveling at speed. Individuals attempting to split lanes must also squeeze between vehicles without sideswiping them, a potentially disastrous hazard.
A 2004 report published by the British Department for Transport indicates that lane splitting by motorcyclists was more likely to result in an accident than traditional lane changes. In California, where lane splitting was legalized in 2016, a study conducted by UC Berkeley indicated that lane splitting dual lane traffic in stop-and-go traffic increased the likelihood of a collision from being rear-ended, but at higher speeds, when compared to riding in the right lane near the dotted white line, there was a decreased likelihood of crashing . This study did not include review of data for individual lane splitting maneuvers.
The British National Police Chief’s Council indicates that lane splitting is a "significant" cause of more serious biker accidents. Police in that country have written "[m]otorcyclists filtering through queues of slow-moving or stationary traffic are probably the group most at risk of being injured." A study of 20 years of British crash data found that two-thirds of biker crashes occurred in low-speed accidents such as lane splitting. Almost half of all accidents involving motorcyclists occur in lanes classified as no overtaking zones where lane splitting would be considered illegal.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found that motorcycle crashes typically occur "because motorcyclists can be difficult to see in traffic…." Lane splitting would increase situations where motor vehicles have to look for motorcycle drivers in the no zones.
Fines for Illegal Lane Splitting
If an officer catches you lane splitting, you can expect to receive a citation for driving unsafely. Being pulled over is just the first of many penalties you can face for this traffic violation. The major issues most riders face after getting caught are license points and fines. For each violation you receive, your license can receive anywhere from one to four points. When these points add up, you may have to pay increasing administrative fees to keep your license active. After accumulating certain number of points, your state can suspend your license. In Tennessee, the threshold is eight points within 12 months. Most fines for traffic violations hover around $50 up to $200 and can even go as high as $500 or more depending on the severity of the offense. If you face multiple charges, these fines can add up quickly. If you injure another driver, cause an accident or are involved in a fatality, you go from getting a simple ticket to facing criminal charges that could result in jail time.
Advocacy & Future Possibilities
There has been an uptick in advocacy efforts among motorcycle riders in Tennessee for the legalization of lane splitting. Riders, including large rider groups, have been directly seeking out sponsors to introduce legislation that would legalize the practice. Given the overwhelming support during the Zero Fatalities Summit last year, it appears that legislators are listening. Some riders are also using social media and online platforms to connect with advocates to bring attention to the risks that Tennessee motorcyclists face. A new Motorcycle Rights group, Crossroads MRA , aims to promote key issues such as education and training of drivers and motorcyclists as well as the removal of some regulations deemed unnecessary by riders. The group’s mission statement reads: "The purpose of this organization shall be to promote and support those things that benefit our associates, our sport and the two wheeled lifestyle." With all of the energy behind the push for legislation, it seems certain that the practice will be legalized in the near future. Finding the right legislative sponsor and formulating the language around the law will be critically important but based on the support that it has received so far, it seems that the law change is likely.