Essay
My bill will help increase the safety of motorcyclists on Minnesota roads. By legalizing lane splitting, motorcyclists can travel between lanes of traffic under certain conditions, which is a safer option than it may seem. According to a study done by the University of California Berkley, motorcyclists who were lane splitting were less likely to suffer head, torso, extremity, and fatal injuries as well as being rear-ended by another motorist. My bill regulates the speed at which motorcyclists can lane split not to exceed 40 miles per hour, further protecting the safety of riders and nearby motorists.
Along with increasing safety, my bill will help decongest traffic and allow motorcyclists to travel faster. According to a project by the NSW Centre for Road Safety, “The trial found some support for this belief with the link travel speed (i.e. speed over a monitored length during the trial) for riders found to be lower when lane filtering.” Lane splitting will help motorcyclists reach their destination faster with fewer problems.
My bill will also create a public education campaign to educate the public about lane splitting and how to implement it safely. According to the NHTSA, “Per vehicle mile traveled, motorcyclists are about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a traffic crash.” This statistic alone shows the need for an increase in motorcycle safety education, especially for such a new concept as lane splitting.
One negative effect of my bill is that it will use money from the general fund to create a lane-splitting education campaign. Depending on the amount of money appropriated, my bill may be unfavorable. Another negative effect of my bill is the integration of lane splitting into everyday transportation. At first, motorcyclists and everyday motorists may find it difficult to adjust and compromise to lane splitting.
Works Cited
“Lane Splitting - American Motorcyclist Association.” American Motorcyclist Association, May 2024, americanmotorcyclist.com/rights/ama-board-position-statements/lane-splitting/.
Motorcycle Lane Filtering Trial Summary of Trial Results. Apr. 2014.
Rice, Thomas, et al. Motorcycle Lane-Splitting and Safety in California. 2015.
“Traffic Safety Facts.” Crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov, 2006, crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/810806.