California could soon become the first state to legalize lane splitting, the practice of motorcyclists traveling between cars. Presently, California has not made lane splitting legal or illegal. California’s legislation would allow lane splitting if traffic is not moving faster than 50 mph. Every other state in the country currently has a ban on lane splitting.

Proponents of lane splitting argue that the practice can help reduce traffic in congested areas, in some cases quite significantly.

According to a 2012 study by Transport & Mobility Leuven, lane splitting can reduce congestion and carbon emissions. The study found that if researchers were to replace 10 percent of cars on the road with motorcycles, time spent in traffic could be cut by 63 percent. Motorcycles can cut through traffic jams to arrive at a destination quickly. Passenger cars do not have the same luxury.

In addition to a massive cut in traffic, carbon emissions could be reduced by 6 percent. California’s proposed legislation would create ideal conditions for lane splitting, as traffic congestion is especially bad in some cities throughout the state.

Is Lane Splitting Safe?

A new report released by UC Berkeley’s Safe Transportation Research and Education Center found that lane splitting is safe, but only if traffic is moving 50 mph or less. Researchers noted that when motorcyclists travel 15 mph faster than surrounding traffic, the risk of motorcycle accidents increases significantly.

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