Motorcycle Lane Splitting Accidents
In California, it’s legal for motorcycles to “split lanes” — ride between cars on the road. In addition, motorcyclists can “filter” — drive to the head of a line of cars in traffic. In fact, with California’s notoriously slow traffic, splitting lanes and filtering are two primary reasons why some people opt for a bike instead of a car. But what happens when a rider gets injured while lane splitting or filtering?
General rules of the road still apply; so any driver approaching another vehicle from behind is typically held at fault for an accident. As the rider, the cyclist has to keep a keen eye for shifting cars and lane changes. Unfortunately, motorcycle riders are small compared to the cars around them and then tend to get overlooked by vehicle drivers.
The California Highway Patrol also has a list of suggestions for any motorcyclist willing to take the risk and ride between lanes. The rider should never travel more than 10 miles an hour faster than the cars nearby. In addition, the CHP suggests that riders only split lanes and filter when traveling under 30 miles per hour.
If a motorcyclist is injured while splitting lanes or filtering, he or she should contact a personal injury lawyer to go over the details of the accident. Determination of fault is a significant piece of any personal injury lawsuit and finding the right balance between circumstance, law, and driver behavior won’t be easy without an attorney.
