Lane splitting: Yay or nay? It’s a touchy subject among motorists and riders. We explore its legalities and benefits
“I KICKED A CAR!” It was a message I got from a friend recently. A five-foot friend who rides her cruiser to and from work regularly. While messages like that aren’t exactly peculiar coming from someone who can turn anything into a weapon, I was piqued. To my “What?! Why?,” she replied: “The driver was being an a**hat and blocking all riders from filtering past him. It was traffic, wala naman siyang pupuntahan. So I kicked his tire and gave him a piece of my mind.” 
Ah. The lane splitting/filtering conundrum. Much has been written about it by both car and motorcycle journalists, arguments have been started by people both for and against it, and probably a lot more cars have been kicked in frustration by filtering motorists (I don’t encourage kicking cars or losing your cool on the road, mind you. Keep calm and drive/ride on.)
Lane splitting or filtering is the practice of navigating between other vehicles. Lane splitting is riding through moving traffic while filtering is done between vehicles that are stopped, usually because of a red traffic light. Many might not know this (I didn’t until I researched!) but LTO Administrative Order No. AHS-2008-015 states in Section IX, that: “A driver/rider shall observe the rule and on one lane per vehicle only. Lane splitting is prohibited along a road or a highway. Motorcycles or scooters shall not be operated on sidewalks.”
Although we can nitpick and say “But lane splitting is not even defined in the Administrative Order,” it states clearly that only one vehicle is allowed per lane. Which is funny, because when have we ever seen that rule imposed or followed, especially on EDSA during rush hour? Besides, there was nothing stated in the Administrative Order regarding fines or penalties for those violating this rule.
In 2019, there was much uproar over a bill filed by Pangasinan 5th District Representative Ramon Guico Jr. It was proposed under the bill that riders be banned from passing between two vehicles except when overtaking, with fines of P1,000 up to P5,000. But, so far, no other lawmakers have shown support, with Senator JV Ejercito, himself a motorcycle rider and enthusiast, even expressing his opposition to this bill.
But why lane split?
In the United States, lane splitting is legal in California, as long as the rider is traveling at a speed no more than 10 mph (about 16 kmh) faster than other traffic. The state also advises against lane splitting on freeway on-ramps and exits and when traffic flow is 30 mph (about 48 kmh) or faster. In Singapore, there is currently no law prohibiting riders from lane splitting or filtering while in Taiwan, lane splitting is only allowed for motorcycles under 250cc.
In Vietnam, where motorcycles and scooters are an integral part of daily life, lane splitting is a given–even if it’s illegal. A friend who regularly visits Saigon says that in the mega chaos of motorbikes, scooters and cars, there’s still a semblance of order and discipline, even with two-wheelers filtering and splitting through traffic. “I experienced it first hand when I rented a motorcycle there and got the hang of weaving in and out of traffic in minutes. You really need to go with the flow of other motorists, else you might get into an accident.”
But is lane splitting safer for riders? A study completed by the University of California Berkeley’s Safe Transportation Research and Education Center (SafeTREC) in 2015 found that riders who lane split are significantly less likely to be rear-ended by other motorists. Hence, compared to riders who were not splitting lanes, lane splitting motorcyclists were markedly less likely to suffer head injury (9% vs. 17%), torso injury (19% vs. 29%) or fatal injury (1.2% vs. 3%). Researchers pointed out, too, that lane splitting is safe when done in traffic moving 50mph (80kph) or less, and if riders do not exceed the speed of other vehicles by more than 15mph (25kph).
Although results from a study done by the University of Nottingham for the Department of Transport in London reveal that lane filtering caused around 5% of serious motorcycle accidents, the study also found that in these cases, the driver is twice as likely to be at fault as the rider, simply because they fail to take into account that motorcycles or scooters would be filtering or weaving through other vehicles in heavy traffic.
Besides, filtering or splitting lanes can help reduce traffic congestion, because motorcyclists can move ahead of stopped or slow-moving vehicles. (Imagine if riders on scoots and motorbikes acted as if they were riding a car and followed that one vehicle, one lane policy along EDSA. Horrors.) Filtering also decreases fuel consumption and emissions. And, because weaving through traffic instead of waiting behind a slow or stopped vehicle gets a rider to their destination faster, it lessens the time a rider is exposed to heat, as well as potential road hazards and accidents. Remember, riders are at a higher risk compared to drivers of enclosed vehicles because motorcycles and scooters offer little to no crumple zone, leaving riders more exposed to the impact of collisions and making them susceptible to greater injuries.
Are there risks to lane splitting? Of course. Besides the fact that it’s illegal here, riding recklessly through traffic can get you–and other motorists or even pedestrians hurt. If you need to filter or split lanes, keep a reasonable speed and be hyper aware of what is happening in front of and beside you: Car doors can open without warning, a dog may suddenly run in front of you, or a vehicle could suddenly swerve towards you.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to sharing the road responsibly. In traffic, I’ve started giving way to riders when I’m on four wheels–making room for them to filter easily. I’m not going anywhere anyway, and blocking their path is just rude and mean. After all, we’re all just trying to get to our destination, home and/or family, the easiest and safest way possible.
