After a lane-splitting crash in Colorado, fault depends on what each person did and what the evidence shows. Lane splitting is illegal in Colorado, so a rider who was lane splitting may be found at least partly at fault, but the other driver’s actions matter too. Filtering between stopped cars is a separate question covered in our lane filtering guide.
What Is Lane Splitting?
Lane splitting is riding a motorcycle or bicycle between lanes or rows of traffic moving in the same direction. It is sometimes known as white lining or stripe-riding. This usually happens when traffic is slow-moving. Riding between stopped vehicles is called lane filtering, which Colorado treats differently. While it may seem like lane splitting is a practice that simply allows an impatient motorcyclist or bicyclist to get where there are going faster, some argue that the practice is safer than riding in stop-and-go or very slow traffic. This is a controversial position, however.
Lane splitting, when defined as a cyclist riding on the line in between two lanes or rows of traffic, is illegal in Colorado, as it is in most U.S. states. It is legal, however, for two motorcycles to share one lane in Colorado. It is not legal for a motorcycle to share a lane with a car or truck.
For the rules on lane filtering, see Lane Filtering vs. Lane Splitting in Colorado.
Evidence After a Motorcycle Lane-Splitting Crash
While lane splitting has fans who claim that it increases safety for motorcyclists, Consumer Reports found through research that those claims may be exaggerated. In the study, about half of California motorcyclists who practice lane splitting reported coming close to hitting a car while lane splitting. In a related study in 2015 by U.C. Berkeley, the data showed that the chances of personal injury increased as the difference in speed between motorcycles and cars increased. Because motorcyclists who practice lane splitting are usually going 10-15 miles per hour faster than the surrounding traffic, it is likely that lane splitting actually increases the chance of personal injury, rather than decreasing it.
After a lane-splitting crash, these questions can help show what happened:
- Where was the motorcycle: in a lane, on the line or between lanes?
- Was traffic moving or stopped?
- How fast were the motorcycle and the surrounding vehicles going?
- What were the visibility, lighting and weather like?
- Is there video from dash cameras, helmet cameras or nearby businesses?
- What did witnesses see?
How the Riding Maneuver May Be Examined
Motorcycle riders who are cited for lane splitting in Colorado are charged with a Class A traffic infraction, which is punishable by a fine. These fines can range from about $15 to $100. The rider can also get points on their driving record.
Lane splitting in moving traffic remains illegal in Colorado. Since August 7, 2024, however, Colorado has allowed lane filtering, which means passing vehicles that are stopped and headed the same direction at 15 mph or less. The filtering law is set to expire on September 1, 2027, unless lawmakers extend it.
Related Reading
Talk to Greer Law Group After a Motorcycle Crash
For questions about a motorcycle crash in Colorado, call our office today at 303-331-6460 to speak to one of our attorneys.
