The safety message of “Start Seeing Motorcycles” will take on more meaning in Minnesota on Tuesday as lane splitting and filtering for motorcyclists become legal.

Passed in the 2024 legislative session, the law takes effect on Tuesday.

“Our concern is for the safety and the lives of riders and drivers all across the state,” said Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson on Monday. “Remember that safety is a shared responsibility. Everybody is going to have to practice and proceed with caution, awareness and patience.”

Phil Stalboerger, of Eagan, advocated for the changes after he was rear-ended on his motorcycle while in traffic. His wife was a passenger and sustained seven fractures to her leg. He told legislators about the crash as a way to keep it from happening to other people.

Here’s what to know about the new law, which Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center’s Jay Bock calls “lane sharing” overall.

It “allows motorcycles to share a lane with vehicles when it is appropriate, at the proper speed,” he said.

What is lane splitting, when does it apply?

Lane splitting allows a motorcycle to pass another vehicle in the same direction of travel and in the same traffic lane.

It’s permitted when two or more lanes of traffic are traveling in the same direction and traffic is moving.

Motorcyclists can lane split at no more than 15 mph over the speed of other traffic. For example, if traffic is crawling along at 5 mph, a motorcyclist’s maximum speed for lane splitting would be 20 mph.

Under all circumstances, the maximum speed for lane splitting is 25 mph.What is lane filtering, when does it apply?

Lane filtering lets motorcyclists move through traffic that is stopped. It’s allowed when there are two or more lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction. It can be used in situations such as a traffic jam or drivers stopped at a traffic light.

At a demonstration on Monday, motorcyclists slowly pulled up between vehicles stopped at a red light at Minnesota’s Driver and Vehicle Services Eagan-South Metro Exam Station. They then advanced ahead of the vehicles when the light turned green.

Motorcyclists cannot travel more than 15 mph when using lane filtering.

When are lane splitting and filtering not allowed?

The new law does not apply to:

• Round-abouts.

• In a school zone.

• In a work zone when only a single travel lane is available.

• On an on-ramp to a freeway or expressway.

Why did this become law?

The bills were chief authored by Sen. Julia Coleman, a Republican representing Carver County, and Rep. Dan Wolgamott, a Democrat who represents Benton, Sherburne and Stearns counties.

Stalboerger grew up riding motorcycles and has been a lobbyist for the last 32 years, but he didn’t combine those interests until after the crash in Bloomington in October 2022.

“It was really about making sure that nobody else has to go through what anybody that’s been in an accident has to go through,” said Stalboerger, treasurer of the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.

He said after he attended Monday’s Office of Traffic Safety press conference, he was riding his motorcycle and got stuck in traffic on Interstate 494. A motorist rolled down his window and said, “You know it’s legal for you to go in between?” Stalboerger responded, “Not ’til tomorrow.”

The American Motorcyclist Association supports lane splitting and filtering, and cites a University of California, Berkeley, analysis released in 2015. It “found that lane-splitting is relatively safe if done in traffic moving at 50 mph or less, and if motorcyclists do not exceed the speed of other vehicles by more than 15 mph.

Minnesota’s law says motorcyclists can’t travel more than 25 mph while lane filtering.

“With this new ability to filter through slow-moving traffic and at stoplights, riders in Minnesota will benefit from increased safety on the open road,” American Motorcyclist Association Central States Representative Nick Sands said in a statement last year.

State Department of Public has concerns

DPS did not bring the initiative forward.

“Our position was we had some concerns with this,” Hanson, the Office of Traffic Safety director, said. “We all know our roads are busier and more congested than they’ve ever been, and we’re adding another element to that roadway congestion and all of the busyness going on around it. And so there were some concerns raised with how we could roll this out effectively and safely for everybody.”

The legislature appropriated $200,000 to the Office of Traffic Safety for outreach and education in the state over the last year.

Advice to motorcyclists and drivers?

Motorcyclists should keep in mind factors such as lane width, size of surrounding vehicles, weather, lighting conditions and whether they are visible to drivers.

“Riders, this is not a free pass for dangerous driving behaviors,” Hanson said. “Take it slow.”

Bock, of the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center, emphasized that while lane splitting and filtering is becoming legal, “they are not mandatory, and they’re not always the best option. Motorcyclists should use their best judgment about it and when they can do it safely.”

Upon reaching 25 miles an hour, motorcyclists are required to return to an assigned lane, Bock said.

“It is the responsibility of motorcyclists to practice these maneuvers safely,” he said. “Motorists … cannot impede, block or get in the way of a motorcyclist.”

Drivers should “respect that the riders have that right and to allow them the space to do that,” Hanson said. “… Never use your cell phone while driving or be distracted in any other way.”

David Otis, safety officer for the Elk River Harley Owners Group (HOG), participated in the safety demonstration on Monday. He said they do a lot of group riding and he expects his chapter won’t do lane filtering or splitting because of the size of the group.

“But when I’m by myself and we have a lot of stop-and-go traffic and my motor’s getting hot” and at risk of overheating, “I’ll probably try it,” he said.

Otis said the safety advantage is not getting rear ended, but he said he worries about other drivers changing lanes when there’s a lot of traffic and not being on the lookout for motorcycles.

4th of July weekend enforcement

This week’s holiday is “historically one of the busiest and, unfortunately, one of the deadliest weekends on Minnesota roads for all kinds of reasons,” Hanson said. “So we do have all kinds of extra enforcement that will be out there, including the State Patrol and about 300 other law enforcement agencies across the state that will have extra officers, troopers and deputies on duty and out there enforcing traffic laws.”

Enforcing the new motorcycle lane law will “be on an agency-by-agency basis,” Hanson said.

Motorcyclists who violate the law could be cited for unsafe lane usage, while drivers of other vehicles who prevent splitting or filtering could be cited for impeding a motorcycle, said Lt. Mike Lee, Minnesota State Patrol spokesman. Drivers of both motorcycles and vehicles could be cited for careless or reckless driving, depending on their driving behavior.

Seventy-six people died in motorcycle crashes in Minnesota last year, based on preliminary information, compared with 69 the year before and 82 in 2022. The 82 deaths were the worst since 1985.

How many other states have similar laws?

Minnesota became the sixth state to approve lane filtering, according to the American Motorcyclist Association.

“Some states allow splitting at higher speeds than 25 (mph), so know our laws,” Bock said. “I mean, if you’re riding here and you hear the word ‘split’ or ‘filter,’ it doesn’t mean you can do it the way you did it when you were in California.”

Information about Minnesota’s law is available at motorcyclesafety.org.