When it comes to motorcyclist-friendly states, we could add Arizona to the list, as the Grand Canyon State passed a law that makes it legal to filter lanes on motorcycles.
Regulations state that motorcyclists may pass between stopped vehicles at no faster than 15 mph and only on roads with speed limits below 45 mph.
These provisions are modeled on Utah’s lane filtering law, which itself has been renewed for an additional five years.
Accordingly, Arizona Senate Bill 1273 has received bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Arizona State Legislature.
The bill was passed with the help of the AMA and with the strong support of ABATE of Arizona, and it is likely to go into effect in mid-September.
“This law has been four years in the making,” said Michael Infanzon, the legislative director of ABATE for Arizona. “But we had a really great sponsor on this year’s bill with Senator Pace (R-Mesa District 23).”
“He is an active motorcyclist and it is important to have someone who understands the dangers of being hit in the back. This is all about safety and is nothing more than part of a plan to reduce motor vehicle deaths in Arizona. ”
According to the most recent data from the Arizona Department of Transportation, 30% of all motorcycle crashes in 2020, including 11 out of 106 fatal motorcycle crashes, are due to rear-end collisions.
“Arizona’s ABATE performed strongly to get this legislation signed,” said Nicholas Haris, Representative of the American Motorcyclists Association (AMA) Western States.
“It is welcome to see so many states adopting general safety laws to protect motorcyclists when they are most vulnerable to crashes. The AMA is committed to working with riders across the country in an effort to pass similar legislation and educate the public about its benefits. ”
Hopefully the success of Arizona’s recent passage of lane filter legislation and the continued success we’re seeing in jurisdictions like California, Hawaii, Utah, and Montana will pave the way for more states to adopt. Motorcycle-friendly traffic laws.
Source: American Motorcycle Riders Association
