| 1 | 1 | | |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | 2023 -- S 0357 |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | LC000889 |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023 |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USE OF LANES, AND |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | RULES OF THE ROAD |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Introduced By: Senators Gallo, and Ciccone |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | Date Introduced: February 16, 2023 |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | Referred To: Senate Judiciary |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (by request) |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 31-15 of the General Laws entitled "Passing, Use of Lanes, and Rules 1 |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | of the Road" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | 31-15-20.1 Lane splitting permitted. 3 |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any 4 |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | motorcycle may be permitted to split lanes; provided that: 5 |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (1) Traffic is stopped or traveling at a speed of no greater than ten miles per hour (10 mph). 6 |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (2) The motorcycle operator does not exceed ten miles per hour (10 mph) above the rate of 7 |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | speed of the current traffic flow. 8 |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (3) The motorcycle operator merges with traffic once the ten miles per hour (10 mph) lane-9 |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | splitting restriction speed has been achieved by the flow of traffic. 10 |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (4) The posted speed limit on the highway being traveled is greater than fifty miles per 11 |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | hour (50 mph). 12 |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (b) For the purposes of this section, "lane splitting" means driving a motorcycle, as defined 13 |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | in § 31-1-3, that has two (2) wheels in contact with the ground, between rows of stopped or moving 14 |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | vehicles in the same lane, including on both divided and undivided streets, roads, or highways. 15 |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (c) The administrator, as defined in § 31-1-16, is hereby authorized to develop rules and 16 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, in consultation with the department 17 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | of public safety. 18 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | LC000889 - Page 2 of 3 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | (d) The provisions of this section authorizing lane splitting by motorcycles shall cease on 1 |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | January 28, 2024. 2 |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall sunset on January 28, 2024. 3 |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | ======== |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | LC000889 |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | ======== |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | LC000889 - Page 3 of 3 |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | EXPLANATION |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | OF |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | A N A C T |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES -- PASSING, USE OF LANES, AND |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | RULES OF THE ROAD |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | *** |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | This act would permit the practice of lane-splitting by motorcycles. 1 |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | This act would take effect upon passage and shall sunset on January 28, 2024. 2 |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | ======== |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | LC000889 |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | ======== |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | |
|---|