New Colorado laws focus on motorcycle safety

A new traffic law that will go into effect in Colorado next month is focused on motorcycles. The new law concerns lane filtering, which is significantly different than lane splitting.

CBS Colorado First Alert Traffic Tracker Reporter Brian Sherrod met with Colorado State Patrol Trooper Gabriel Moltrer to discuss the changes. Moltrer tells CBS Colorado that lane splitting is prohibited in Colorado. It is the act of operating a motorcycle between two rows of moving traffic or stopped traffic traveling in the same direction and typically involves riding the motorcycle down the painted line dividing the lanes on either side.

Lane filtering will become legal in less than a month. Lane filtering is the act of passing a vehicle going in the same direction only when the vehicle is at a complete stop. This maneuver will likely be most common at stop lights or gridlocked traffic and will legally allow riders to navigate toward the front of the line to avoid being sandwiched between two vehicles.

One of the biggest differences between lane splitting and lane filtering comes down to the movement of the surrounding vehicles. It's important to note the differences between these practices and the rules associated with Colorado's filtering law.

According to Colorado's new filtering law, five rules must be followed to filter:

• The vehicles a rider wants to pass must be at a complete stop.
• The lane must be wide enough to fit the vehicle and motorcycle while passing.
• The motorcycle must go 15 mph or less.
• The rider must pass safely and control the motorcycle.
• The rider must pass on the left and not enter the oncoming traffic lane.

Moltrer tells CBS Colorado these new laws are needed to keep everyone safe.

"We want to make sure that everybody gets home at night to their families," Moltrer said. We want to make sure that nobody is driving recklessly or carelessly, and putting themselves in others in any type of danger under any circumstances."

A reminder that lane splitting is illegal in Colorado, but lane filtering will be legal starting Aug. 7.