Lane Splitting/Filtering May Soon Be Legal For Oklahoma Motorcyclists

When you hear the term "lane splitting" about motorcycles on the road, you probably envision a sportbike blowing past in between cars on Oklahoma highways. That's what most people would naturally think, but that isn't what this piece of legislation in the Oklahoma House of Representatives is about.

Alternatively, it's about the similar practice of lane filtering. A type of low-speed lane splitting, and it will arguably make the city streets much safer for motorcyclists in the Sooner State.

What is lane filtering?

When you pull up to a red light, we all politely wait our turn to get back underway. This is one of the most dangerous situations on the road for motorcycles.

Most drivers don't pay that much attention to the road, and when traffic stacks up at stop lights, motorcycles tend to blend in with the vehicles in front of them. Especially at night when brake lights all mesh together.

Lane filtering is the term for when motorcycles slowly "filter" through the traffic at stop lights, either in between vehicles to limit the odds of being rear-ended (often fatal in motorcycle-vs-vehicle accidents) or just skipping forward to the head of the line--which is super common around the world.

Lane filtering isn't blowing through tight traffic at 100+ MPH to get somewhere faster.

HB 3582

Oklahoma's 62nd District Representative Daniel Pae introduced a lane filtering bill earlier this month, and while the legislative wheel turns slowly, it is going through the process with very little pushback.

As only two representatives on the 13-person Transportation Committee voted against the idea, it seems it might eek through with flying colors.

What does the bill say?

Lane filtering is defined in this bill as:

As used in this subsection, the term "lane filtering"
means the act of a two-wheeled motorcycle overtaking and passing another vehicle or vehicles that are stopped in the same lane and direction of travel as the overtaking motorcycle.

Subsequently, here are the rules motorcyclists would be expected to abide:

a. the operator of the motorcycle is on a roadway with
lanes that are wide enough to pass safely,
b. the operator of the motorcycle is on a roadway with a
speed limit of forty-five (45) miles per hour or less,

 

c. the overtaking motorcycle is not operated at a speed
in excess of ten (10) miles per hour when overtaking
or passing the stopped vehicle or vehicles, and

 

d. conditions permit continued reasonable and prudent
operation of the motorcycle while lane filtering.

No doubt, if and when passed, there would be the usual learning curve within the driving society.

While this has been the law of the land for California motorcyclists for decades, four other states recently passed similar laws in the name of motorcycle safety. Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, and Utah. From what I've seen on TikTok, it caused a bit of confrontation between Karens and bikers in the first few days of legalization.

In 2024, Oklahoma is one of eight states currently considering a lane filtering measure, proven to reduce motorcycle vs. vehicle accidents. We'll see how this meanders through the capitol.

If passed and signed into law, it would take effect November 1, 2024.