Are Motorcycles Allowed to Split Lanes in Missouri?

About the Author

Ethan Charles (“EC”) Duckworth is the founding attorney of Duckworth Injury Law. EC earned his law degree from the University of Missouri - Columbia, where he graduated in the top 10 of his class and served as an Editor of the Missouri Law Review. EC currently serves as a member of the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys (MATA) and is a graduate of the Ross T. Roberts Trial Academy. EC has represented hundreds of injury victims throughout his career resulting in tens of millions of dollars in compensation recovered. EC routinely handles serious injury accidents involving motorcycle crashes across Missouri.

When traffic backs up on I-70, Highway 63, or roads around the Lake of the Ozarks, a motorcyclist may be tempted to ride between vehicles rather than wait in traffic. This practice is commonly called “lane splitting.” But are motorcycles actually allowed to split lanes in Missouri?

The answer is not as straightforward as many riders may expect. Missouri law does not specifically use the phrase “lane splitting,” and there is no law that clearly gives motorcyclists permission to ride between lanes of traffic. Because of that, Missouri riders should be cautious before attempting to split lanes or filter through stopped traffic.

Missouri Law Does Not Specifically Authorize Motorcycle Lane Splitting

Lane splitting generally refers to a motorcyclist riding between two lanes of moving traffic. Lane filtering is slightly different. Filtering typically involves a motorcyclist moving between stopped or slow-moving vehicles, such as at a red light or during heavy traffic. Unlike some states, Missouri does not have a law specifically authorizing either practice.

Missouri Revised Statutes Section 304.015 requires drivers on roads with three or more clearly marked lanes to drive as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and not move from that lane until they have confirmed the movement can be made safely. While the statute does not specifically name motorcycles or use the term “lane splitting,” it gives law enforcement officers, insurance companies, and juries reason to question whether riding between lanes was safe under the circumstances.

Simply put, Missouri motorcyclists should not treat lane splitting as a guaranteed legal right.

Lane Splitting Can Create Serious Safety and Legal Risks for Missouri Riders

Motorcycles are already harder for other drivers to see. When a rider travels between lanes, nearby drivers may not expect a motorcycle to be beside them. A driver may change lanes suddenly, open a vehicle door, drift across a lane marker, or fail to check a blind spot before moving.

Even when another driver is clearly negligent, an insurance company may still argue that a motorcyclist contributed to the crash by splitting lanes. That argument can become important in a Missouri personal injury case.

Missouri follows a pure comparative fault system in negligence claims. This means that if an injured motorcyclist is found partially at fault for causing a crash, the rider’s financial recovery may be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to them.

For example, a driver may have changed lanes without looking and struck a motorcyclist. However, the driver’s insurance company may argue that the motorcyclist was also partly responsible because they were riding between lanes. In that situation, proving exactly how the crash occurred becomes critical.

A Motorcycle Rider May Still Have a Strong Injury Claim After a Lane-Splitting Accident

Riding between lanes does not automatically mean a motorcyclist is responsible for an accident. Every crash must be evaluated based on its own facts.

A negligent driver may still be primarily responsible for causing a collision if they:

• Changed lanes without checking for traffic;
• Failed to use a turn signal;
• Drove while distracted;
• Followed another vehicle too closely;
• Failed to yield the right-of-way; or
• Drove aggressively around a motorcycle.

After a motorcycle accident, evidence can make a major difference in determining who was at fault. Photos from the crash scene, witness statements, vehicle damage, traffic-camera footage, helmet-camera footage, and police reports may all help establish what happened.

Missouri Lawmakers Have Considered Allowing Lane Filtering, But It Is Not Currently the Law

Missouri lawmakers have considered proposals that would allow certain forms of lane filtering under limited conditions. One recent proposal would have allowed motorcycles to pass vehicles in the same lane or between lanes only when traveling no more than 10 miles per hour faster than surrounding traffic and no more than 25 miles per hour total.

However, proposed legislation is not the same as an enacted law. Until Missouri adopts a law clearly allowing lane filtering or lane splitting, riders should understand that the practice may lead to a traffic stop, a citation, or arguments of comparative fault after a crash.

Injured in a Missouri Motorcycle Accident? Contact Duckworth Injury Law Today

Motorcycle accidents can cause life-changing injuries, including broken bones, spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, road rash, permanent disfigurement, and wrongful death. When another driver’s carelessness causes a serious crash, you deserve an attorney who will investigate what happened and fight for the maximum compensation available.

At Duckworth Injury Law, all our firm handles is personal injury cases. Our motorcycle accident attorney understands how insurance companies try to place blame on injured riders, and we are prepared to fight back with evidence, experience, and a clear understanding of Missouri law.

If you or a loved one was injured in a motorcycle accident in Columbia, Jefferson City, the Lake of the Ozarks, or anywhere across mid-Missouri, contact Duckworth Injury Law today for a free case evaluation and consultation.