Is Lane Splitting Legal in Your State? What Midwest Motorcyclists Need to Know

Is Lane Splitting Legal in Your State? What Midwest Motorcyclists Need to Know

Lane splitting is one of the most searched and most misunderstood topics in motorcycle law. The term refers to a motorcycle riding between lanes of traffic, and it wasn't until 2017 that California became the first state to officially legalize it. Lane splitting did exist in the Sunshine State beforehand, but in a legal gray area. That is changing, and riders passing through the Midwest may have encountered this change recently.

Minnesota legalized both lane splitting and lane filtering on July 1, 2025, under HF 5247, signed by Governor Tim Walz in May 2024. Minnesota became the sixth state in the country, and the easternmost, to permit these practices. The other seven states Nicolet Law serves: Wisconsin, North Dakota, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan still prohibit them.

That distinction matters on roads like I-94, which connects Wisconsin and Minnesota, and for riders who commute across state lines or travel through the Twin Cities.

Nicolet Law handles motorcycle accident claims across seven states and has worked cases where lane position, state law, and insurer disputes over fault all intersect. Understanding the legal framework before an accident is useful. Having legal support after one is often essential.

Key Takeaways About Lane Splitting Laws

• Minnesota is the only Nicolet Law state where lane splitting and filtering are legal: HF 5247 took effect July 1, 2025. It permits lane splitting in moving traffic at no more than 25 mph and no more than 15 mph above surrounding traffic. The other six states that Nicolet Law serves prohibit lane splitting and filtering under their respective traffic codes.
• Which state's law applies depends on where the riding occurs, not where the rider lives: A Wisconsin rider who lane splits legally in the Twin Cities on I-94 is operating within Minnesota law. That same rider lane splitting on I-94 west of Hudson is violating Wis. Stat. § 346.13. Crossing a state line changes the legal framework immediately.
• Illegal lane splitting can raise a rider's comparative fault percentage after a crash: For example, under Wis. Stat. § 895.045 and Iowa Code § 668.3, recovery is barred if the injured party's fault reaches 51 percent. In North Dakota, the bar is 50 percent under N.D.C.C. § 32-03.2-02. A lane-splitting citation in a state where it is prohibited adds risk to any subsequent fault analysis.
• Minnesota's law includes rider protections, not just permissions: Drivers who intentionally obstruct or block a motorcyclist who is legally filtering in Minnesota can be charged with a misdemeanor. This makes Minnesota's framework one of the more rider-forward lane-sharing laws in the country.

Key Statistics About Lane Splitting and Motorcycle Safety

The safety case for lane splitting is grounded in data, and that data shaped Minnesota's legislative debate. A 2015 study from the Safe Transportation Research and Education Center at UC Berkeley examined nearly 6,000 motorcycle crashes in California. While lane-splitting was not officially legalized until 2017, the practice was widespread prior to that, with California's legal framework allowing it.

Riders who split lanes had a rear-end collision rate of 2.6 percent, compared to 4.6 percent for riders who stayed in their lane. Lane-splitting riders also experienced lower rates of head injuries (9 percent compared to 17 percent), torso injuries (19 percent compared to 29 percent), and fatal injuries (1.2 percent compared to 3 percent).

The rationale is intuitive. A motorcycle sitting in a lane of stopped traffic is a stationary target for a rear-end collision. A motorcycle moving between lanes at a controlled speed has more options and is harder to strike from behind.

According to NHTSA's 2023 Traffic Safety Facts: Motorcycles:

• 6,335 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes in the United States in 2023.
• Motorcyclists accounted for 15 percent of all traffic fatalities while making up roughly 3 percent of registered vehicles.
• An estimated 82,564 motorcyclists were injured in 2023, many in the type of stop-and-go traffic conditions where lane filtering would allow riders to move to safer positions.

Phil Stalboerger, the AMA member and safety advocate whose testimony helped advance HF 5247 in Minnesota, described being rear-ended by a distracted driver going 30 mph while he was stopped in traffic. His point to legislators was direct: if filtering had been legal, he would not have been sitting in that lane.

What Is the Difference Between Lane Splitting and Lane Filtering?

These terms describe related but distinct practices, and the difference matters under Minnesota's new law.

Lane splitting is a term that refers to a motorcycle navigating in between moving lanes of traffic. When traffic comes to a stop, the motorcycle navigating forward is now lane filtering.

Lane sharing, a third related practice, refers to two motorcycles riding side by side in a single lane. This is legal in all seven Nicolet Law states.

Is Lane Splitting Legal in Minnesota?

Yes, as of July 1, 2025, Minnesota became the sixth state to permit these practices. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety launched a statewide education campaign ahead of the effective date to prepare both drivers and riders.

What Are Minnesota's Specific Speed Rules?

For lane splitting in moving traffic, the motorcycle may not exceed 25 mph and may not travel more than 15 mph faster than the vehicles in the lanes being passed. That means this is the hard limit when passing through stopped traffic. Both practices require two or more lanes of traffic traveling in the same direction. Once traffic flow goes above 25 mph, frequently seen when posted speed limits hit 30 mph, the rider must return to a single lane.

What Happens If a Driver Intentionally Blocks a Filtering Rider in Minnesota?

Minnesota's law includes an explicit protection. A driver who intentionally obstructs or blocks a motorcyclist who is legally filtering may be charged with a misdemeanor. This provision distinguishes Minnesota by creating a framework for legal accountability for drivers who respond to filtering riders with hostility.

What the Other States Say About Lane Splitting

Minnesota is the only state Nicolet Law serves where riders may engage in lane splitting and lane filtering. In the other six states, riding between lanes is illegal, even in stopped traffic. Here is how each state handles it:

• Wisconsin: Wisconsin law requires every vehicle to stay within a single lane (Wis. Stat. § 346.13). There is no exception for motorcycles.
• North Dakota: North Dakota law does not allow a vehicle to take away another vehicle's full use of its lane, so riding between lanes is not permitted.
• Iowa: Iowa law specifically bans riding a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between rows of vehicles (Iowa Code § 321.275).
• Indiana: Indiana gives each motorcycle the full use of a lane and does not allow riding between lanes.
• Illinois: Illinois requires motorcycles to follow the same lane rules as other vehicles, which means no riding between lanes.
• Michigan: Michigan requires vehicles to stay within a single lane and has no law that allows lane splitting.

In all seven states, two motorcycles may ride side by side in the same lane. That is called lane sharing, and it is legal everywhere Nicolet Law handles cases.

What Should Riders Know When Crossing Into Minnesota?

Wisconsin and Minnesota share I-94, and many riders cross the state line every day. Lane splitting that is legal in the Twin Cities becomes illegal the moment a rider crosses into Wisconsin. Getting the rules mixed up can lead to a ticket. It can also give the insurance company a reason to blame you if a crash happens.

Because these laws can change, riders should check the current rules in each state before riding between lanes anywhere outside Minnesota.

Does Lane Splitting Affect Who Is at Fault in a Motorcycle Accident?

The legality of lane splitting at the time and place of a crash matters directly to fault analysis.

In Minnesota, a rider who was within the parameters of HF 5247 when a crash occurred cannot have their lane position used against them simply because they were between lanes. A driver who failed to check mirrors, made a sudden movement, or caused a collision while a motorcyclist was legally splitting may bear primary responsibility.

In Wisconsin, North Dakota, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, a rider who was splitting lanes illegally at the time of a crash faces the possibility of a higher fault assignment. Under each state's modified comparative fault system, that assigned percentage reduces the rider's total recovery proportionally. If the rider's fault reaches the state's bar, recovery may be eliminated entirely, though Michigan can be more forgiving.

After any crash involving a disputed lane position, an attorney can review what law applied, what each party did, and how fault is likely to be distributed based on the specific circumstances.

When Should You Talk With a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer?

If a crash involved any of the following, we highly recommend talking with an attorney:

• A dispute over lane position
• The driver failed to yield to you while you were legally lane filtering in Minnesota

For injuries that occurred in conditions where lane splitting was a factor, the legal questions can get complex quickly. An attorney can evaluate what state law applied, how insurers are likely to use the lane position in a fault analysis, and what the rider's options may be. Understanding what causes motorcycle accidents more broadly can also help riders recognize when lane position is only part of a larger picture.

Nicolet Law handles motorcycle accident claims in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. Contact us at 1-855-NICOLET or online for a free case evaluation.

FAQs About Lane Splitting in the Midwest

Legal Resources for Motorcycle Accident Claims in the Midwest

These resources provide additional background for riders considering or pursuing a motorcycle accident claim in the Midwest.

• Wisconsin Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
• Minnesota Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
• North Dakota Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
• Iowa Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
• Fatal Motorcycle Accidents: Key Statistics, Legal Rights, and How to Protect Yourself
• What Causes Motorcycle Accidents?
• How Distracted Drivers Put Motorcyclists at Risk