New law allowing Minnesota motorcyclists to ride between lanes of traffic starts Tuesday

The phrase “Start Seeing Motorcycles” has long been used to remind drivers to watch out for bikers on the roads. That guidance will become even more relevant starting Tuesday when a new Minnesota law allows those on two wheels to legally ride between lanes of traffic.

“Putting motorcycles between two vehicles changes conditions of the road,” said Mike Bryant, an attorney with the Bradshaw & Bryant law firm, which represents motorcyclist crash victims.

Minnesota will become only the sixth state to legally allow the maneuvers, joining California, Colorado, Montana, Arizona and Utah.

On Monday, officials from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) staged a demonstration at the Eagan drivers license exam station to demonstrate “lane filtering” and “lane splitting,” the two maneuvers that will soon be allowed in Minnesota, home to 250,000 registered motorcycle owners.

“Drivers, you need to respect that riders have the right to share that lane with you,” said Mike Hanson, director of the state’s Office of Traffic Safety. “Riders, this is not a free pass for dangerous driving behaviors. Only do it when it is safe to do so.”

Lane splitting, also known as stripe riding, allows motorcyclists to travel between vehicles when traffic is moving at 25 mph or slower and go no more than 15 mph faster than the speed of traffic. Once traffic speed reaches 25 mph or faster, motorcyclists must stop sharing lanes and ride in one traffic lane.

Lane filtering allows motorcycles to slowly move between lanes of traffic when vehicles are stopped, such as at a traffic light or in a traffic jam. Bikers can go no more than 15 mph over the speed of traffic in the relevant traffic lanes and never faster than 25 mph.

Neither splitting nor filtering is allowed when approaching, entering, inside or exiting a roundabout. The maneuvers also are prohibited in a marked school zone, on a freeway entrance or exit ramp or when there is a single lane of traffic in the same direction. Motorcyclists cannot share lanes in work zones with only one lane available to motorists.

Under the law, drivers may not impede a biker who chooses to lane split or filter.

Phil Stalboerger, an active motorcyclist who helped spearhead Minnesota’s law, wasn’t so sure about lane splitting until he visited California where the practice has been legal since 2016. He thought it sounded dangerous until he tried it himself.

“I loved it,” Stalboerger said. “It is legit, and it can be done safely. It is done in other parts of the world. It moves us in the right direction from a transportation perspective.”

But what really sold him on pushing to get the law on the books in Minnesota came in October 2022. Stalboerger was stuck in traffic on I-494 when he was hit from behind. He was thrown from his bike, and his wife, who was riding with him, was badly injured. If lane splitting and filtering had been legal, Stalboerger said he could have taken refuge between vehicles and not have been a sitting duck.

Stalboerger found ears at the Minnesota Legislature where his plea gained bipartisan support. The law, passed last year, takes effect this week.

“We are excited,” said Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia, one of the bill’s authors. While acknowledging a few side mirrors might get damaged, Coleman said she was confident crashes will drop.

“Data showed it does make things safer,” she said.

So far this year, there have been 18 motorcycle deaths on state roads. There were 76 for all of 2024, according to DPS.

Hanson and state motorcycle coordinator Jay Bock say the law is designed to keep traffic moving and to get everybody to their destinations faster and safer.

But Hanson acknowledged the law could take motorists and drivers some time to get used to and add a layer of complexity to the roads.

Adding to the challenge is that the law’s rollout comes just days ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend, which typically is one of the deadliest travel times of the year, Hanson said.

This week, extra officers will be out to enforce traffic laws and educate drivers about the new motorcycle law.

“The lane is not owned by anybody,” said Lt. Mike Lee with the State Patrol. “We want everybody to be safe.”