Who’s at fault? New Colorado lane filtering law
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - If you've driven on southbound I-25 recently, you may have seen a sign warning about a new law. It's called lane filtering. The new law lets motorcyclists pass cars when they are stopped.
State troopers said the new law should lead to fewer traffic jams by removing some space in a backup, as well as preventing some accidents and keeping motorcyclists safe.
So, what happens if there is an accident caused in the midst of lane filtering? Colorado State Patrol (CSP) said it’s a case-by-case basis. However, CSP also said if a motorcyclist breaks the lane filtering law, then they're responsible for the crash. If a car tried to block them from filtering, then that’s on the driver of the car.
For riders like Kamron Shawdennis, this law couldn’t have come sooner.
"I've been in instances where I was stopped at a light and, I actually had a car lose control and come and hit a car behind me. I felt pretty exposed. Had I been up towards the front, I probably would have felt a little bit safer," recounted motorcyclist Kamron Shawdennis.
Over the next three years, CSP will continue to monitor the amount of crashes that involve motorcyclists and if they have anything to do with lane filtering.
