A new Arizona law reclassifies motorcyclist lane splitting as a reckless driving and imposes harsh penalties for this dangerous maneuver. Arizona previously required motorcycles to occupy a complete lane of traffic and barred motorcyclists from riding more than two abreast. But those rules had weak penalties. The new statute, signed into law by Governor Hobbs over the summer, sets lane splitting as a Class 2 misdemeanor and carries real consequences:

A judge can order the driver to surrender his license;

• The conviction must be reported to the Arizona Department of Transportation
• ADOT can suspend driving privileges for up to 90 days. 
• Penalties increase for repeat offenders.

Lane splitting is a riding technique where a motorcyclist travels in the gap between two parallel lanes of traffic moving in the same direction. It is important to note that while Arizona forbids this practice, other states - California, for instance, fully allow it. So, if you are riding across state lines, make sure you know what is allowed where you are. And always be careful, aware, and ride+drive defensively.

This new law does not impact or forbid lane filtering, which is when a motorcyclist moves past stopped vehicles - such at a red light - to reach the front of the line. Lane filtering remains legal under specific speed and traffic conditions. In Arizona, lane filtering is okay when auto traffic is at a full stop and the roadway speed limit is 45mph or lower. Policy makers believe that this is a rider safety measure and encourage this approach in an effort to reduce incidents of motorcyclists being rear-ended in traffic.