
In January of 2018, Arizona will consider Bill SB 1007 which allows for lane-splitting by motorcyclists. This is the second go around for a lane splitting bill in Arizona, the last time being in 2010. This time, the bill is being introduced by the Senator of Arizona, David Farnsworth.
Included in the bill are educational guidelines to be proposed by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. As expected, the bill is not without controversy.
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When it comes to lane splitting, lawmakers and motorcyclists focus on the controversial study and results in California known as AB 51 or the Berkeley Study. In California, lane-splitting while illegal, was always tolerated by law enforcement, so California decided on passing the law legalizing it.
The problem with lane splitting is fact versus fiction. In one blog I wrote the perception of lane splitting and what car drivers consider lane splitting to be. There is no doubt like a campaign against drunk driving and now texting and driving, the public needs to be educated to avoid an “us versus them” mentality which most of us are already facing when riding a motorcycle.
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The California/Berkeley Study results were as follows: