Responsible Lane Splitting in CA;  California Motorcycle Accident Lawyers

There seems to be a lot of controversy over motorcycle lane splitting in California. Many California drivers are irritated by lane splitting, as mentioned in one of our recent motorcycle blog posts. However, even the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that lane splitting may have some safety benefits. This may be partially because motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injury from a rear-end collision when sitting in stopped traffic.

According to the California Highway Patrol, lane splitting “must be done in a safe and prudent manner.” In the event of a motorcycle accident, the definition of “safe and prudent” is open to interpretation by the police, juries, or insurance companies. However, there are some ways California motorcyclists can minimize the risk of accidents when lane splitting. Laneshare.org, a grassroots movement created to support the practice of motorcycle lane sharing, has some suggestions on their website for lane splitting.

Here are motorcyclist tips for responsible lane splitting including a few of the ideas from the Laneshare.org website:

· Do not drive more than 10 mph over the speed of traffic and stay within the posted speed limit.
· Merge back into a lane once traffic starts moving at 30-35 mph.
· Commit to driving in one of the two lanes you are splitting rather than going back and forth between lanes.
· Watch for traffic gaps that might encourage another motorist to change lanes and possibly hit you in the process.
· Do not drive in another driver’s blind spots.
· Remember that motorcycles are not as visible as larger vehicles.
· Make sure you are proficient at riding your motorcycle before trying to lane split.
· Use caution to avoid damaging other vehicles.
· Avoid lane splitting between large trucks.

While there is no doubt that lane splitting should be done in a safe and responsible manner to prevent California motorcycle accidents, other California drivers have a responsibility to watch out for motorcyclists on the road. Proving fault in California motorcycle lane splitting accidents can be difficult. Motorcyclists are often blamed in California lane splitting accidents, so it is important to have an experienced and understanding California motorcycle attorney to protect your rights and help you get the compensation you deserve if someone else is at fault. We have biker-friendly lawyers in cities all over California including Motorcycle Lawyers in San Francisco, motorcycle injury attorneys in Bakersfield, Monterey, and motorcycle accident lawyers in Los Angeles.
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If you or a loved one has been hurt in a motorcycle accident, you need to protect your rights with a top motorcycle injury lawyer. Call 1-800-424-5377 to learn why you need a Motorcycle Accident Attorney on your side.  Biker Red is RussBrown.com’s Official Biker news, information and resources author.

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