It’s now legal for motorcyclists to filter between stopped cars and trucks. But there are rules: the speed limit on the road must not exceed 45 mph and filtering is not allowed on freeways. The road has to have at least two lanes in the same direction. A motorcyclist cannot travel faster than 15 mph when passing stopped vehicles.
You might be thinking why would lawmakers pass such a law? Why do motorcyclists get to cut in line? Why the special privileges? Sounds kinda dangerous, right?
But this isn’t an issue of providing convenience for riders. It’s really a matter of safety. Apparently, drivers of cars and trucks have a difficult time seeing motorcyclists in a phenomenon called “inattentive blindness.” So even when a motorcyclist is right in front of them, the driver doesn’t see the rider.
In Utah in 2018, there were 47 motorcyclist fatalities, an increase of 24% from 2017. This year is on par to match the record number of fatalities.
The most common type of accident is a rear-end crash, which accounts for 40% of accidents in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Jay Mcfarland hosts KSL News Radio’s JayMac News Show. He also hosts a fictional podcast called Hosts of Eden. KSL News Radio is part of Bonneville Media and based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Don’t forget to review and subscribe to the JayMac Mac News Show podcast on iTunes. Or follow Jay on Twitter and Instagram @JayMacNewsShow or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JayMacNewsShow/
