Memphis Motorcycle Traffic Laws

Motorcycle riders share the road with thousands of other vehicles every day, and they do so with far less protection than the drivers around them. Understanding the rules that govern how those vehicles must coexist is not just a matter of safety—it is a matter of knowing your rights when something goes wrong.

If you suffered injuries in a crash, identifying any Memphis motorcycle traffic laws that the at-fault driver may have violated could make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. When a careless driver’s disregard for traffic law leaves you seriously injured, our motorcycle collision attorneys at Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi have the legal knowledge and the determination to pursue accountability.

What Traffic Laws Say About Sharing the Road With Motorcycles

Bikers have the same rights and responsibilities as any other driver, but other drivers too often ignore those rights. State law requires Memphis riders to operate motorcycles in a single lane and prohibits other drivers from encroaching on a motorcyclist’s roadway space. The state does not permit lane splitting (the practice of riding between lanes of slow or stopped traffic), but that restriction also means that drivers are equally prohibited from squeezing bikers out of their rightful lane position.

It also requires that motorcycles have at least one and no more than two headlamps illuminated at all times while in operation. Handlebar height is restricted so that a rider’s hands remain at or below shoulder level. Motorcycles carrying passengers must include a properly designed seat and footrests. Knowing these rules matters because insurance companies and opposing attorneys will look for any technical violation on your part to reduce what you are owed after an accident.

How Do Traffic Law Violations Factor Into Your Accident Claim?

The state’s modified comparative fault system recognizes that responsibility for a traffic accident is not always straightforward. The percentage of fault assigned to each party directly determines how much compensation you can recover—and if a court finds you at fault for 50 percent or more of the accident, you will not recover anything at all. This is why the specific traffic laws in effect at the moment of your crash are so important. They define what every driver on that road was legally required to do, and they give us a framework for demonstrating exactly where another driver failed to act responsibly.

Other drivers commit a range of traffic law violations that put riders at serious risk of a crash. Some of the most common violations we see in accident claims include:

• Failing to yield the right of way at intersections or when merging
• Changing lanes without checking blind spots where a motorcycle may be riding
• Following a motorcycle too closely, leaving no room to stop safely
• Running red lights or stop signs at intersections
• Making left turns across oncoming motorcycle traffic
• Speeding in ways that reduce reaction time when a motorcyclist is nearby

When one or more of these violations contribute to a crash, documentation becomes critical. Police reports, traffic camera footage, witness statements, and accident reconstruction analysis can all work together to establish how a driver failed to meet Memphis motorcycle safety laws.

Contact Our Memphis Team Today To Discuss Motorcycle Traffic Laws

Traffic laws exist to protect everyone out on the road, but motorcyclists are often the ones who suffer most when others break these laws. If another driver’s violation of Memphis motorcycle traffic laws put you in the hospital, you deserve a legal team that understands exactly how to use that violation to build your case.

At Gatti, Keltner, Bienvenu & Montesi, we have spent more than 50 years turning the details of an accident into the maximum possible recovery for our clients. We have helped thousands of injured riders receive compensation, and we could pursue the same for you. Contact us today for a free consultation and learn how our attorneys can help.