‘See it all the time’: Why a common traffic move could now get you jail time in Arizona

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A new Arizona law that took effect Saturday reclassifies lane splitting as reckless driving.

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House Bill 2941, sponsored by Rep. Lupe Contreras and signed into law June 22, imposes harsher punishments for the maneuver, which involves a motorcycle moving between lanes of moving traffic, usually when traffic is heavy and vehicles are moving slowly.

Long-time rider Jeffrey Heimburger said he sees the practice often.

“When I ride in California, everybody does it. But when I’m out here in Arizona or any other states, I still see it all the time,” Heimburger said.

Heimburger said lane-splitting riders face risks from drivers who do not check mirrors or blind spots for motorcycles.

“That’s the whole thing is you’re out there with very little protection, especially the guys that I see doing the lane splitting. They’re usually going too fast and not wearing any of the right gear,” Heimburger said.

Penalties under the new law

Reckless driving is a class 2 misdemeanor in Arizona. Under the law:

• A judge can order the driver to surrender their license.
• The conviction must be reported to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
• ADOT can suspend driving privileges for up to 90 days.

A second reckless driving conviction within two years is a class one misdemeanor, which carries possible jail time and a fine.

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Lane filtering remains legal

The new law does not affect lane filtering, which Arizona legalized in 2022. Lane filtering is allowed only when:

• Traffic is fully stopped, such as at a red light.
• The road is posted 45 mph or less and has two or more adjacent lanes.
• The rider does not exceed 15 mph.

Lane filtering is not allowed on freeways.

Heimburger said lane filtering does not interfere with other drivers.

“You’re not stopping anybody from progressing. You’re just getting through traffic faster, and it actually takes up less space in the lane when we zip to the front,” Heimburger said.

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