Trial allowing motorbikes to ride between lanes extended in France
The test is ongoing in 21 departments
Motorbikes are allowed to filter between lanes of slow-moving traffic in the 21 departments included in the trial
Vernerie Yann / sylv1rob1/ Shutterstock
An ongoing trial allowing motorcycles to ride between lanes on slow-moving motorways and dual carriageways has been extended until the end of the year in 21 French departments.
The practice of riding between lanes is widespread in France - and in most countries - but is banned in the driving code, la Code de la route under articles R. 412-9, R. 412-23 and R. 412-24.
Under the code, the practice can be punished by a €135 fine and the loss of three licence points.
In order to help codify driving between lanes, or lane splitting, the French road safety authority, la Sécurité Routière, is testing a suspension of these articles for motorbikes
The first of these tests took place in 11 departments in 2016, however it did not lead to a definitive change to the rules.
The present experiment, which began in 21 departments in August 2021, allows motorbikes to filter between lanes of slow moving or stationary traffic on carriageways with multiple lanes that have a speed limit of 70km/h or more.
Under the trial, the speed of the motorbike must not be 30km/h faster than the cars it is passing.
For example, if cars are going at 5km/h, the motorbike cannot go faster than 35km/h. The maximum speed for a motorcycle filtering between lanes is 50km/h.
In addition, motorbikes must travel between the furthest-left lanes on the road, not those to the right.
Authorities have been using the trial to assess if it is less dangerous than motorcyclists being stuck in a lane and subject to stop-start traffic, where they can be hit in the rear by a driver not paying attention.
The trial is now scheduled to last until December 31, after which date a body called Cerema will publish a report into its findings.
Where is riding between lanes permitted in France?
The departments taking part in the lane splitting trial are:
Bouches-du-Rhône
Haute-Garonne
Gironde
Hérault
Isère
Loire-Atlantique
Nord
Rhône
Var
Alpes-Maritimes
Drôme
Vaucluse
Pyrénées-Orientales
Paris
Hauts-de-Seine
Seine-Saint-Denis
Val-de-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Yvelines
l’Essonne
Val-d’Oise
