MOTORCYCLISTS will be allowed to ride between cars under changes to road rules roads designed to reduce accidents.

The new rule has prompted the State Government to warn motorists to be aware of motorbikes filtering through traffic by checking their rear and side mirrors.

The Government has decided to allow ‘lane filtering’’ from 15 April 2017.

The new laws will make the already-common practice of motorbikes to move between stopped or slow-moving cars legal.

A speed limit of 30km/h will apply to motorbikes when lane filtering.

The road rules changes will bring SA’s laws in line with those already in place in other States.

Road Safety Minister Peter Malinauskas announced the new law at a press conference on Wednesday.

He reminded riders that lane filtering was only be permitted when it is safe to do so and:

ISN’T allowed in bicycle, bus or tram lanes

DOESN’T apply to L-plate or P-plate riders

IS BANNED in school zones or on crossings, next to parked cars, between vehicles and the kerb, or on roundabouts

Mr Malinauskas warned riders who failed to comply faced a $363 fine and three licence-demerit points.

Mr Malinauskas said motorbikes account for about 4 per cent of all registered vehicles, but about 14 per cent of all fatalities and 17 per cent of serious injuries involved them.

In the past five years motorbikes were involved in 14 serious rear-end casualty crashes where the rider was not considered to be at fault.

Two of these crashes were fatal and 12 resulted in serious injury.

Mr Malinauskas said the new laws were designed to protect bikers.

“Through engagement with motorbike bodies we identified that motorcyclists feel the chance of

being ‘rear-ended’ by distracted drivers reduces when riders are able move to the front of

traffic,’’ he said.

“I encourage all road users to familiarise themselves with lane-filtering laws.’’

President of the Motor Cycle Riders Association Phil McClelland said the lane filtering law was welcomed.

“This is the culmination of a lot of hard work over many years by many groups and individuals,’’ he said.

Tim Kelly, from bikers group Ride to Review, said lane filtering “removes the rider from the queue of stop/start traffic, significantly reducing the chances of a motorcyclist being exposed to a full-force rear-end impact by another vehicle’’.

The Transport Department will run an educational campaign to help all road users understand the new laws.