The information you are seeking regarding “lane splitting general guidelines” is no longer available.
A petitioner complained to the Office of Administrative Law that there was no formal rulemaking process for the guidelines, and raised other objections. The CHP discussed the issue with the Office of Administrative Law and chose not to issue, use or enforce guidelines and thus removed them from the website.
The underlying purpose of the guidelines was to provide common-sense traffic safety information.
California law does not allow or prohibit motorcycles from passing other vehicles proceeding in the same direction within the same lane, a practice often called “lane splitting,” “lane sharing” or “filtering.”
Creating a safer highway environment is the shared responsibility of drivers and motorcyclists alike. This is achieved by staying alert and using common sense and courtesy while on the road. It is also important for motorcyclists to minimize their risks by riding responsibly, always wearing a helmet and other protective gear and to never ride under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. Here are other important safety reminders:
- Watch your speed—a motorcycle collision is highly likely to cause injury or death
- Assume people in cars do not see you.
- Avoid blind spots in other vehicles, particularly large trucks
The California Highway Patrol also strongly encourages all motorcycle riders to sign up for the California Motorcyclist Safety Program, which is administered by the CHP as California’s official motorcycle safety and training program. The Program offers courses for new and experiences riders. For more information visit http://www.chp.ca.gov/programs/motorcycle.html.
