Can bikers split lanes or ride through red lights? SC laws to know for the Fall Bike Rally

The 2024 Fall Myrtle Beach Bike Rally is here and the Grand Strand is full of bikers from all over the country. While traffic regulations in South Carolina are largely the same for all motor vehicles, there are a couple of important motorcycle safety laws you should know if you’re in the Palmetto State on a bike.

Lane splitting

It’s illegal for motorcyclists to “split” lanes in South Carolina, meaning bikers can’t drive between two lanes of traffic to weave between or pass by cars on the road.

State law exempts law enforcement operators performing official duties, but otherwise motorcycle operators, “shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken,” nor can they, “operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic, or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.”

Likewise, car drivers can’t encroach on a biker’s lane. According to the South Carolina Code of Laws, motorcyclists are entitled to the use of a full lane.

However, two motorcycles are allowed to share the same lane.

Red lights

While motorcycle, moped and bicycle riders generally have to follow the same red light laws as car drivers, the law carves out an exception.

Some red lights don’t operate on a timer and instead sense vehicles stopped at a traffic light. At these intersections, sensors may not register a smaller vehicle like a bike or a moped.

To address this, South Carolina law allows riders to proceed through a steady red light after coming to a full and complete stop for 2 full minutes. Even in cases where a rider can legally go through a red light, the motorist must follow other traffic regulations to determine that it’s safe before proceeding.

This story was originally published October 3, 2024 at 6:00 AM.