Is it legal to drive a motorcycle between lanes on Texas roads? Here’s what the law says

If you have ever seen a motorcycle zip by between lanes while you’re stuck in traffic, you saw lane splitting firsthand.

Lane splitting — also called white lining — is when a motorcycle drives between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane.

Not only do North Texas drivers need to stay alert for other vehicles making last-minute maneuvers, drivers may also need to keep a lookout for motorcyclists riding the white lines on the road.

The American Motorcyclist Association endorses lane splitting within safe highway speeds, citing reductions in motorcycle crashes and reporting that it helps with the flow of traffic.

Is it legal to drive a motorcycle between lanes on Texas roads?

While lane splitting is legal in some states like California, it is illegal in Texas.

The Texas Transportation Code requires all drivers and motorcyclists to drive within a single lane. Motorists may change lanes on roadways with “clearly marked lanes,” but there is nothing in the transportation code that allows moving between lanes.

Previous bills filed with the Texas legislature attempted to address lane splitting and possibly allowing it on certain roads, but none of them became laws, according to Austin-based McMinn Law Firm.

Outside of California, other states that recognized some form of lane splitting include Hawaii, Montana and Utah.