New Motorcycle Law in Arizona Goes Into Effect September 24

A new law signed in Arizona during the last legislative session will allow motorcycle riders in that state to lane filter.

Lane filtering will allow motorcycles to ride slowly between lanes when traffic is stopped, according to AZ Central.

Motorcycle drivers will be able to move between stopped cars to get in front of traffic, such as at a stoplight, thanks to the new law that goes into effect on September 24, 2022.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Tyler Pace, R-Mesa, and is meant to reduce motorcyclists’ risk of getting hit from behind.

However, the new law does not permit lane splitting, a maneuver in which someone operating a motorcycle drives between lanes while the cars are moving. 

“There’s a lot of stipulations,” officer Aaron Bolin with Scottsdale Police told 12NEWS KPNX in Phoenix, Arizona.

In order for a motorcyclist to choose to lane filter legally, the surrounding cars must be safely stopped and traveling in the same direction as the motorcycle, the posted speed limit must be 45 miles per hour or less, and the rider can’t go any faster than 15 miles per hour between the stopped cars.

Law enforcement officials said they will watch for motorcyclists who are filtering incorrectly, AZ Central reported. 

Other drivers should take extra precautions to watch out for motorcycles that may be participating in lane filtering and driving very close to their vehicles between lanes when other vehicles are stopped. 

Other, previously determined motorcycle laws in the state of Arizona remain in effect, such as the rule that motorcyclists shall not ride more than two vehicles side-by-side in a single lane.

The law was passed back in March 2022. To read more about it, see the text for Senate Bill 1273.

And to learn more about motorcycle laws in Arizona, such as motorcycle passenger law, lane-sharing, Arizona helmet law, and more, see our page on Arizona motorcycle safety laws.