No. Lane splitting is explicitly prohibited under Vermont Statutes Title 23, § 1016, which defines lane filtering as unlawful. The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) enforces this ban, citing safety risks and lack of legislative authorization. No 2026 compliance shifts have altered this stance.
Key Regulations for Lane Splitting in Vermont
- Statutory Prohibition: 23 V.S.A. § 1016 criminalizes lane splitting, treating it as a traffic infraction with potential fines up to $200.
- Motorcycle Operation Rules: Vermont’s motorcycle regulations (23 V.S.A. § 1127) require full lane occupancy, leaving no legal avenue for lane sharing.
- Local Enforcement: The Vermont State Police and municipal agencies uniformly enforce this ban, with no exceptions for experienced riders.
Local advocacy groups, such as the Vermont Motorcycle Association, have lobbied for lane filtering legalization, but legislative proposals (e.g., H.512 in 2023) stalled in the General Assembly. The DMV’s 2024 safety report reiterated the prohibition, emphasizing crash data from neighboring states where lane splitting is permitted. Riders violating § 1016 face liability in civil suits if their actions contribute to collisions.