Oregon House Bill 3542, which will authorize motorcyclists to lane filter under certain limited circumstances, allows the operator of a motorcycle to overtake and pass another vehicle in the same lane if traffic is stopped or has slowed to a speed of 10 miles per hour or less and the operator of the motorcycle is traveling no more than 10 miles per hour over the speed of traffic. It requires the operator of a motorcycle to merge with the regular traffic flow when traffic begins traveling at a speed of more than 10 miles per hour and would only be allowed when operating the motorcycle on a highway for which the speed limit is 50 miles per hour or higher.
The AMA places significant emphasis on motorcycle operator and passenger safety. On every type of public roadway, motorcyclists encounter challenges from other roadway users and are constantly vigilant to potentially unsafe conditions around them.
One of the most dangerous situations for any motorcyclist is being caught in congested traffic, where stop-and-go vehicles, distracted and inattentive vehicle operators and environmental conditions pose an increased risk of physical contact with another vehicle or hazard. Even minor contact under such conditions can be disastrous for motorcyclists. Allowing motorcyclists to move between stopped or slowed traffic prevents them from becoming victims of a rear-end collision.
The Motorcycle Lane-splitting and Safety in California Study, conducted by the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at the University of California, Berkley, and cited in the literature review in this report, mentions that lane-splitting motorcyclists were less likely to suffer from head, torso or fatal injuries than other motorcyclists. As indicated by the lead researcher, Dr. Thomas Rice, a delta of 15 mph or less, up to a surrounding traffic speed of 50 mph, did not result in any associated changes to crash occurrence rates or injury types. The proposed legislation, which is more conservative than the practices outlined in the Berkeley study, has been crafted to ensure motorcyclist safety in Oregon state.
The AMA places significant emphasis on motorcycle operator and passenger safety. On every type of public roadway, motorcyclists encounter challenges from other roadway users and are constantly vigilant to potentially unsafe conditions around them.
One of the most dangerous situations for any motorcyclist is being caught in congested traffic, where stop-and-go vehicles, distracted and inattentive vehicle operators and environmental conditions pose an increased risk of physical contact with another vehicle or hazard. Even minor contact under such conditions can be disastrous for motorcyclists. Allowing motorcyclists to move between stopped or slowed traffic prevents them from becoming victims of a rear-end collision.
The Motorcycle Lane-splitting and Safety in California Study, conducted by the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at the University of California, Berkley, and cited in the literature review in this report, mentions that lane-splitting motorcyclists were less likely to suffer from head, torso or fatal injuries than other motorcyclists. As indicated by the lead researcher, Dr. Thomas Rice, a delta of 15 mph or less, up to a surrounding traffic speed of 50 mph, did not result in any associated changes to crash occurrence rates or injury types. The proposed legislation, which is more conservative than the practices outlined in the Berkeley study, has been crafted to ensure motorcyclist safety in Oregon state.
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