BDR 43-73 · Nevada
Safer roads through clear rules for motorcycle lane filtering.
BDR 43-73 would let motorcycles carefully move between stopped or slow-moving cars, under strict limits built for safety, not speed.
What BDR 43-73 would do
Five simple rules
Lane filtering would only be allowed when every one of these is true. The provisions are proposed and may change as the bill is developed.
Under 35 mph
The motorcycle is traveling less than 35 mph.
Same direction only
It moves between vehicles traveling in the same direction.
Cautious and prudent
The rider accounts for traffic, the roadway, and the weather.
Never the shoulder
The motorcycle does not ride on the shoulder.
Never into oncoming lanes
The motorcycle does not enter a lane for oncoming traffic.
Why filtering can be safer than sitting in traffic
Less time exposed
Stopped riders are especially vulnerable to being hit from behind by distracted drivers. Filtering shortens that exposure.
Off the shoulder
Clear rules keep motorcycles within the existing lanes instead of on shoulders or emergency lanes.
More predictable
When everyone knows the rules, drivers and riders know what to expect from each other.
What the research shows
Riders who were lane splitting were less likely to be killed in a crash.
- fatal injuries while lane splitting
1.2%
fatal injuries while lane splitting
compared with 3.0% for other riders in collisions
Source: University of California, Berkeley study of nearly 6,000 collision-involved motorcyclists in California. The researchers found lane splitting relatively safe in traffic moving at 50 mph or less, when riders did not excessively speed past surrounding traffic.
A safety standard, not a speeding exception.
The Nevada Legislature's session opens February 1, 2027. Sign up and we'll tell you when BDR 43-73 is scheduled and when your voice matters most.