LOCAL NEWS

Utah bills target lane splitting, after motorcycle deaths hit 15-year high

Jan 31, 2025, 4:38 PM

Police investigate a fatal motorcycle accident in South Salt Lake on Nov. 13, 2024. A Utah committe...

Police investigate a fatal motorcycle accident in South Salt Lake on Nov. 13, 2024. A Utah committee advanced a pair of bills Wednesday that would increase penalties for certain behaviors after motorcycle deaths reached a 15-year high in 2024. (Scott G Winterson, Deseret News)

(Scott G Winterson, Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — Jeff Acerson recalls a time he was traveling along I-15 when a motorcycle whizzed past him at a fast rate and then crashed.

“He was fortunate that he didn’t end up dead,” Acerson said, describing his experience to members of the Utah House Transportation Committee.

Others reported similar experiences to Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, inspiring him to file a bill that increases penalties for dangerous behavior like lane splitting and wheelies, as well as hidden license plates on motorcycles.

It’s part of at least two bills that could target motorcycle safety this year after motorcycle deaths reached a 15-year high in 2024.

Committee members voted unanimously on Wednesday to advance HB190 and HB234, a pair of bills that would increase penalties for reckless behavior or driving without a motorcycle endorsement, sending them to both to the House for a larger vote.

“It’s really just intended to help motorcyclists understand that there are specific behaviors that are endangering your life and the lives of others,” Thurston said.

Lane splitting and wheelies

Fifty-three motorcycle deaths were reported in 2024, the highest in at least 15 years, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.

The agency says speed, loss of control, people turning in front of motorcycles, and lack of protective gear were major trends observed by investigators.

Many people who died in these crashes were in their 20s and 30s, said Elizabeth McMillan, UDOT’s director of communication. She added that a motorcyclist was determined to be at fault in about two-thirds of all fatal wrecks involving one.

“This is something that we’ve seen as an increase over the past couple of years and especially last year — (it) was a terrible year for motorcycle fatalities,” she said.

Thurston said his bill, HB190, was inspired by a conversation with a constituent who asked him to do something about “these crazy motorcycle riders” on Utah’s freeways and highways. He pinpointed lane splitting — operating a motorcycle between marked lanes to pass vehicles — and wheelies — riding a motorcycle on one wheel — as two acts that are likely the easiest to define for law enforcement to tackle.

While already illegal, he said the bill would make it easier for authorities to enforce. It would also introduce penalties for both infractions, including fines and a 90-day suspension of the driver’s motorcycle endorsement.

A second violation can lead to a 180-day suspension, while an endorsement can be suspended or revoked after that.

Lane filtering, where motorcycles can advance to the front of the line between lanes at stops on major roadways, would not be impacted by the bill. The state first permitted filtering in 2019.

“That’s fine, but what’s not fine is when you’re on I-15 and you’re going along with traffic and — all of a sudden — three or four motorcyclists zip past in between you and the car next to you — often at a difference of speed of 20-30 mph,” Thurston said.

The bill would also clarify that license plates must be “securely fastened” and visible at all times, not “attached below or on the underside of the wheel well or in any other manner that positions the license plate in a manner that is not clearly visible.”

Thurston said many excessive speeders are caught by reviewing cameras because it’s unsafe to pursue the rider. Jeff Nigbur, assistant superintendent for the Utah Highway Patrol, spoke in favor of the bill for this reason.

License plate infractions would come with the same penalties as the other proposed changes.

Nigbur said he believes Utah law enforcement will heavily promote the changes should they be passed so riders are aware of the law, just like the state did with the lane filtering change.

“It gives us more of an enforcement tool and adds some teeth to it,” he said.

Motorcycle endorsements

HB234 aims to address a concern with motorcycle endorsements, specifically a rise in people riding motorcycles without one, said Rep. Ariel Defay, R-Kaysville, the bill’s sponsor. She pointed out that 36% of all motorcycle deaths involved someone without an endorsement, a figure that has been on the rise over the past decade.

Failing to have an endorsement would result in at least a $350 fine. However, she said the fine could be waived if the subject completes the safety courses and other work needed to obtain an endorsement.

“As a nation, we’re failing at motorcycle safety,” she said. “I think it’s important that we take a look at policies to help us improve the safety of motorcycles and all drivers.”

All bills must be approved by the House and Senate before March 7 before they can go into law. If approved, HB234 would go into effect on May 7, while HB190 would go into effect in 2026.

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Utah bills target lane splitting, after motorcycle deaths hit 15-year high