Colorado State Patrol focusing on educating motorcycle riders on new lane filtering law

DENVER — Even though lane filtering became legal in Colorado last August, Colorado State Patrol says its troopers still see a lot of confusion on the road.

"I think there is still some significant misunderstanding of what the law requires," said Colorado State Patrol Chief Colonel Matthew Packard.

Denver7 is following up on the law and some common misconceptions surrounding it.

That law defines lane filtering as motorcycle riders using their lane to move ahead of stopped traffic.

A rider cannot move into other lanes or go over 15 miles per hour.

Lane filtering reduces the chance of a rider being rear-ended by a car or truck.

Lane splitting, on the other hand, occurs when motorcyclists pass vehicles that are still moving—and it’s illegal in Colorado.

Weaving between lanes and riding on the shoulder is also against the law.

CSP says education will be key for riders moving forward.

This is offered through CSP’s Motorcycle Operator Safety Training courses — MOST for short.

MOST instructors, like Chris Gibson, have been handing out flyers explaining the new law's rules to riders taking the course.

“They've seen other people lane splitting, and they think that that is okay, and it is not in the state of Colorado," said MOST instructor Chris Gibson.

CSP says it's important to know the difference between lane splitting and filtering, pointing out that motorcycle riding is a risk to begin with.

Last year, there were 162 motorcycle deaths — a 23 percent increase from the three-year average.

The lane filtering law expires in September 2027, at which point lawmakers will review the data on rear-end and side-swipe crashes and determine what action should be taken.

State troopers are hopeful that the law will work.

"If the public's upset and the crash numbers are up, then I think that decreases the likelihood of this bill staying, so the best way, the most effective way to prove that this is safe is to do it the right way," said Packard.

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