Is lane-splitting legal?

By Réhann Coetzee

Yes, filtering through traffic on a motorcycle, also known as lane-splitting, is legal in South Africa.

Section 298 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 1999, allows a motorcycle to pass another vehicle in the same lane (either to the right or the left of the other vehicle, subject to certain provisions).

Paragraph 6 of Article 309 reiterates this, with the proviso that more than one motorcycle may not pass another vehicle at the same time.

It also clearly states that motorcycles, like any other vehicles, may not cross over the barrier line (solid white line) at any time. Even when splitting up to traffic lights.

It is also interesting to note what else Article 309 says:

• Paragraph 1 says that if the motorcycle has a seat, you have to sit on it while riding. So it is illegal to “meerkat”…
• Paragraph 8 says you need to have at least one hand on the handlebars
• Paragraph 9 says the wheels must stay in contact with the road at all times. So don’t wheelie, it is illegal.

Photo by Dominic van Niekerk.

National Road Traffic Act, 1996


National Road Traffic Regulations, 1999

Chapter X: Rules of the road and matters relating thereto

Part I: Rules of the road

Article 309: Duties relating to motor cycle or motor tricycle

•  No person shall drive a motor cycle or motor tricycle on a public road unless his or her feet are resting on the front foot-rests suitable for the purpose and, where the design of such motor cycle or motor tricycle makes it possible to do so, he or she is seated astride on the saddle of such motor cycle or motor tricycle.
•   No person shall on a public road carry a passenger on a motor cycle unless such cycle has an engine with a cylinder capacity exceeding 50 cubic centimetres and unless such passenger is seated in a side-car or astride on a pillion attached to such cycle and, in such latter event, the feet of the passenger are resting on foot-rests suitable for that purpose.
• Subject to the provisions of subregulation (2), not more than two persons shall ride upon a motor cycle on a public road, excluding a person riding in a side-car attached to such motor cycle.
• Not more than two adult persons shall be carried in a side-car attached to a motor cycle on a public road. 
• No person or animal or object shall be carried on a motor cycle or motor tricycle on a public road in front of the driver thereof: Provided that an object of a non-bulky nature may be so carried if securely attached to the motor cycle or motor tricycle or placed in a suitable carrier fitted thereon for that purpose and carried in such a way as not to obstruct the driver's view or prevent his or her exercising complete control over such motor cycle or motor tricycle;
• (a) Persons, other than traffic officers in the performance of their duties, driving motor cycles on a public road, shall drive in single file except in the course of overtaking another motor cycle, and two or more persons driving motor cycles shall not overtake another vehicle at the same time: Provided that where a public road is divided into traffic lanes, each such lane shall, for the purposes of this paragraph, be regarded as a public road.
• (b) For the purposes of paragraph (a), a motor cycle shall include a motor tricycle
• No person driving a motor cycle or motor tricycle on a public road or seated on such motor cycle or motor tricycle shall take hold of any other vehicle in motion.
•  Any person driving a motor cycle or motor tricycle on a public road shall do so with at least one hand on the handlebars of such motor cycle or motor tricycle.
• Any person driving a motor cycle or motor tricycle on a public road shall do so in such manner that all the wheels of such motor cycle or motor tricycle are in contact with the surface of the road at all times.