New Utah Motorcycle ‘Lane Filtering’ Law In Effect Next Week

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Next week it will be legal for motorcycles to filter between stopped traffic at an intersection under certain conditions. The Department of Public Safety demonstrated the proper way to lane filter before the law goes into effect on Tuesday.

Parker Rose loves riding motorcycles recreationally, but admits riding in traffic can be a little scary.

“I get a little bit more nervous in having cars trying to swerve into my lane or other lanes,” he said.

He’s excited about Utah’s new lane filtering law. It will allow motorcycles to move between two lanes to the front of stopped traffic. UHP’s Sgt. Mark Thompson said the law is designed to prevent motorcycles from being rear ended.

“The intent of the lane filtering law was to provide kind of a safety pocket for motorcycles as they approach stopped traffic,” Sgt. Thompson said.

Thompson said the intent is not for motorcyclists to simply move through traffic without waiting.

The law is only legal under certain conditions:

1. The speed limit must be 45 miles an hour or less
2. The vehicles a motorcyclist is passing must be stopped
3. A motorcyclists can’t be traveling more than 15 miles an hour while passing another vehicle
4. A motorcyclist must be traveling on a roadway with two or more lanes in the same direction

The Utah Department of Public Safety warns riders to be careful as they navigate a narrow and dynamic space at a slow speed, and encourages only experienced riders to try it.

“Above all the, the movement has to be made safely. So if they can’t do it safely, even if those other components are there, then we encourage them still not to do it,” Thompson said.

According to the Department of Public Safety, these are some of the major roads drivers will see lane filtering:

Salt Lake County

• Foothill Blvd
• State Street
• 7th East
• Redwood Road

Davis/Weber Counties

• Parrish Lane
• Antelope Drive
• Park Lane
• Riverdale Road
• Harrison Blvd
• Washington

Utah County

• State Street
• 1600 north Orem
• 800 north Orem
• Geneva Road

Even as an experienced rider, Rose said he will be careful in deciding when to take advantage of the new law.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily something we’re going to have to use every single time we’re riding,” he said.

But Rose thinks it will help protect people on motorcycles.

“I think it’s going to help save a lot of accidents from happening,” he said.

Thompson said this will be a big change for motorists.

“I think the biggest component is just being aware that if you’re stopped in traffic, there might be a situation where a motorcycle will move in between, and come up either next to you or in front of you,” said the sergeant.

He warns drivers to look out for motorcyclists.

“Be not only patient with them, but also be conscious of their safety as well as they merge back into traffic,” he said.

Another experienced rider, Chelle, encourages drivers to eliminzate distractions like cell phones and pay attention to the road.

“Look over your shoulder, look around you so you can see us coming,” Chelle said. “All of us have families that we go home to.”

No additional training is required for motorcyclists with this law change, however, riders who want to practice this skill can get 25 percent off an education course at ridetolive.utah.gov.

House Bill 149 was passed during the 2019 Utah legislative general session making Utah the second state in the nation to adhere by a version of lane splitting. If the legislature doesn’t extend the law by July 1, 2011, some of the provisions will automatically expire.