[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/blog\/motorcycle-lane-splitting-in-kentucky\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/blog\/motorcycle-lane-splitting-in-kentucky\/","headline":"Motorcycle Lane Splitting in Kentucky","name":"Motorcycle Lane Splitting in Kentucky","description":"Lane splitting on a motorcycle \u2013 riding alongside other vehicles\u00a0between lanes of traffic \u2013 is a controversial practice. Some say it increases the likelihood of an accident, while others say a motorcyclist avoids certain accidents and injuries by lane splitting. What\u2019s important for motorcyclists in Kentucky to know is that lane splitting is not illegal […]","datePublished":"2022-11-24","dateModified":"2025-04-11","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/blog\/author\/kylesalyer\/#Person","name":"Kyle Salyer","url":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/blog\/author\/kylesalyer\/","identifier":13,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f7564ff8fab5a4eebc307eae774767d379a2633f5d58f0a25733bcf8ca3a2705?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f7564ff8fab5a4eebc307eae774767d379a2633f5d58f0a25733bcf8ca3a2705?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18-mcy-logo-blue.png","url":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/18-mcy-logo-blue.png","width":300,"height":300}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/motorcyclist-riding-in-the-sunset.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/motorcyclist-riding-in-the-sunset.jpg","height":600,"width":800},"url":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/blog\/motorcycle-lane-splitting-in-kentucky\/","about":["Motorcycle Accidents"],"wordCount":1067,"articleBody":"Lane splitting on a motorcycle \u2013 riding alongside other vehicles\u00a0between lanes of traffic \u2013 is a controversial practice. Some say it increases the likelihood of an accident, while others say a motorcyclist avoids certain accidents and injuries by lane splitting.What\u2019s important for motorcyclists in Kentucky to know is that lane splitting is not illegal in Kentucky. If you are injured during an accident while lane splitting, it should have no bearing on an insurance claim.If you were lane splitting when you got into a motorcycle accident in Kentucky, the motorcycle accident lawyers at\u00a0Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer\u00a0will stand up for your right to compensation. Our experienced legal team provides the Kentucky Courage\u2122 you need to fight for all of the compensation you deserve after a motorcycle accident caused by another motorist.Contact us today\u00a0for a free consultation about your motorcycle accident claim.What Is Lane Splitting on a Motorcycle?A motorcycle rider is lane-splitting when he or she rides between two vehicles or lines of traffic headed in the same direction. Riders may split lanes to get ahead of slow-moving or stalled traffic.\u00a0The maneuver is sometimes called lane filtering when traffic is stopped.Splitting lanes on a motorcycle might mean riding along the dotted line separating two lanes on a multilane highway, for example. This provides two more terms for the practice: white-lining or stripe-riding.Is It Legal for Motorcycles to Split Lanes in Kentucky?There is no state law in Kentucky that expressly bars lane splitting.\u00a0But the Kentucky Motorcycle Operators Manual published by the Kentucky State Police refers to lane sharing and says it is usually prohibited:Cars and motorcycles need a full lane to operate safely. Lane sharing is usually prohibited. Riding between rows of stopped or moving cars in the same lane can leave you vulnerable to the unexpected. A hand could come out of a window; a door could open; a car could turn suddenly. Discourage lane sharing by others.A police officer may pull over a motorcyclist over for lane splitting in some situations. If an officer thinks a motorcyclist is operating their bike in an unsafe manner, the officer has the legal authority to issue a citation.Only California and Utah expressly permit motorcycle lane splitting. California adopted lane splitting in 2016. Utah\u2019s law addressing \u201clane filtering\u201d went into effect in 2019.Motorcycle safety organizations and academics continue to debate lane splitting. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), which is a part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), supports lane splitting. A study by the Safe Transportation Research & Education Center at the University of California Berkeley also supports lane splitting.A report by the Pew Charitable Trusts cites arguments on both sides of the issue.Advantages a motorcyclist may achieve by lane splitting include:Allowing the rider to position themselves for maximum visibility to other motorists while maintaining safety and control of the traffic situationAvoiding being rear-ended by distracted drivers in stop-and-go trafficAvoiding road surface hazards, other vehicles, or other mobile hazardsMaximizing the motorcyclist\u2019s view of the road and traffic aheadMaintaining an escape route for motorcyclists who could otherwise be trapped in traffic or struck from behindAccording to the Pew report, the AAA auto club opposes lane splitting and has helped defeat legislation to allow it in Georgia, Hawaii, and Texas. \u201cMotorists who don\u2019t expect to be passed by a vehicle traveling between lanes can side-swipe a motorcycle or turn into its path,\u201d Richard Romer, AAA\u2019s state relations manager, told Pew.The Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety departments, has not taken a formal position on lane-splitting. But Richard Retting, a traffic safety consultant to the GHSA, told Pew it is \u201ca very risky activity.\u201dInjuries in Motorcycle Lane-Splitting AccidentsBecause motorcyclists have little protection from the impact of a collision, injuries can be severe and their severity increases with the speed of the motorcycle. A motorcyclist is also subjected to multiple impacts in an accident, as the biker hits the pavement or the motorcycle falls onto the rider.Some of the common injuries seen in lane-splitting accidents include:Traumatic brain injuryFractured arms, legs, wrists, and anklesBroken ribsBlunt force trauma, including internal organ injuryDeep road rash scrapes and bruisingIf a collision does occur while lane splitting, the motorcycle is likely to be moving slowly. \u201cThey (motorcyclists) were considerably less likely to suffer a head injury, torso injury, extremity injury, and fatal injury than riders who were not lane-splitting,\u201d the UC-Berkeley study says.Liability and Motorcycle Lane SplittingBecause there is no law, an insurance company has substantial room to blame the injured rider for the accident or try to get out of paying a claim if a motorcyclist was lane-splitting at the time of an accident.You can protect your right to compensation after a motorcycle accident that was someone else\u2019s fault by engaging an experienced motorcycle accident attorney. At\u00a0Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, we would investigate and analyze the facts on your behalf.\u00a0The\u00a0accident report filed by police is just the starting point for evidence we would collect to demonstrate that another driver was at fault for your injuries.In cases in which another driver acted illegally or irresponsibly, such as by not properly checking blind spots before changing lanes, they may be held liable.Each motorcycle accident case is different. But if your claim has been denied or you have been offered an inadequate settlement, you should consult with an experienced motorcycle accident attorney who has the Kentucky Courage\u2122 to stand up to big insurers.Talk To A Kentucky Motorcycle Accident Attorney NowIf you\u2019ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident that occurred while you were lane splitting, you need an attorney who will protect your rights. Because Kentucky has no specific law about lane splitting, some insurers will declare an injured lane-splitting motorcyclist at fault simply to save money. At Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, we\u2019ll get the facts and argue the true merit of your claim.Our Kentucky motorcycle accident lawyers understand how complicated motorcycle accidents can be. We also know how to present the proper evidence that will prove another party\u2019s negligence in a motorcycle accident. Contact us now at (877) 809-5352 or online for your free legal consultation about moving forward with your motorcycle accident claim."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Motorcycle Lane Splitting in Kentucky","item":"https:\/\/www.kentuckycourage.com\/blog\/motorcycle-lane-splitting-in-kentucky\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]