Lane-splitting or filtering is the act of riding a motorcycle on the lane separation lines on a highway.

This is regarded by many countries to be the smartest method of motorcycle riding in traffic. It serves as a perk to commuting on a motorcycle and reducing the impact on emissions over driving a much larger vehicle. It also does much more than that.

Lane-splitting reduces traffic, reduces injuries, and actually INCREASES rider safety. This is all supported in many studies, with one study from UC Berkley being the most recent and detailed (some details below).

Among the U.C. Berkeley findings:

– Lane-splitting is 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

– 69 percent of lane-splitting motorcyclists were exceeding the traffic speed by 15 mph or less speed differentials up to 15 mph were not associated with changes in the frequency of injury

– Compared to riders who were not splitting lanes, lane-splitting motorcyclists were markedly less likely to suffer head injury (9 percent vs. 17 percent), torso injury (19 percent vs. 29 percent) or fatal injury (1.2 percent vs. 3 percent)

– Lane-splitting riders were significantly less likely to be rear-ended than non-lane-splitting riders (2.6 percent vs. 4.6 percent)

– Lane-splitting motorcyclists were more likely to be wearing a full-face helmet than other motorcyclists (81 percent vs. 67 percent)

– Compared to other motorcyclists, lane-splitting riders were more often riding on weekdays and during commuting hours, were using better helmets and were traveling at slower speeds;

– Lane-splitting riders were less likely to have been using alcohol.

http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/06/02/ama-study-finds-lane-splitting-increases-rider-saftey/

In North Carolina, lane-splitting is not specifically illegal or legal. This causes inconsistent outcomes in court regarding injuries, crashes, or other litigation pertaining to lane-splitting. With lane-splitting being legalized and written into law, it would allow for more clear grounds for the court system to base decisions on.

This petition is to get lane-splitting legalized and written into law with the following provisions:

- Definition: Lane-splitting is the act of operating a motorcycle in between lanes on a highway or interstate in order to pass traffic.

- Definition: Filter/Filtering is the act of operating a motorcycle to the front of halted traffic in regards to traffic control lights (red-light).

- Allow lane-splitting/filtering for all motorcycles (provisions would be made specifically restricting vehicles classified as motorcycles with more than 2 wheels, i.e. Polaris Slingshot)

- Lane-splitting is encouraged to be performed between the two left-most lanes but is not limited only to those areas.

- Motorcyclists may lane-split providing that the motorcyclist does not exceed a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour and no more than 15 miles-per-hour more than the surrounding traffic. (if surrounding traffic is moving at 10mph, the motorcyclist may not travel faster than 25mph)

- Without a witness or proof via a video recording device, accidents will be favored to the vehicle that is not lane-splitting.

- Motorcyclist must be properly wearing a DOT approved helmet.

- Motor vehicles not lane-splitting shall not impede motion of vehicles that are lane-splitting

- Motorcyclists choosing to filter must proceed to the front of traffic and choose either lane to the right or left. It is not permitted to sit at the light in between other vehicles. When moving into either lane, it is acceptable for the motorcyclists to be in the pedestrian walkway as not to completely block the walkway in an unsafe manner.

- It is the motorcyclists responsibility to determine if lane-splitting and/or filtering can be performed in a safe manner.

Petition information originally from the following link:https://www.change.org/p/make-lane-splitting-filtering-legal-in-north-carolina

This petition will be given to Roy Cooper. He is North Carolina's Governor.