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VOL. 39 | NO. 11 | Friday, March 13, 2015
Sponsor withdraws bill to allow motorcycle lane splitting
NASHVILLE (AP) — A proposal to allow Tennessee motorcyclists to ride between slow-moving cars has been withdrawn by the Senate sponsor.
Senate Transportation Chairman Jim Tracy of Shelbyville said the measure was withdrawn Wednesday by fellow Republican Sen. Joey Hensley of Hohenwald.
California is the only state that allows motorcycles to travel between traffic lanes.
A recent study conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, on behalf of the California Highway Patrol and the state's Office of Traffic Safety found the practice generally poses no more danger than riding a motorcycle unless the motorcyclist is riding 10 mph faster than surrounding traffic.
It also found that while lane splitters are less likely to be rear-ended by car drivers, they are more likely to rear-end other vehicles.