LANE SPLITTING: THIS CALIFORNIA CONTROVERSY CONTINUES ONWARD
On behalf of Rooney Law Firm posted in Motorcycle Accidents on Friday, August 29, 2014.
According to the California Highway Patrol, our state has the most licensed motorcyclists in the country. One of those, a 59-year-old man, became a motorcycle accident victim recently. Utilizing the controversial practice of lane splitting in heavy traffic, he lost control of the bike when his handle bar caught on a pickup truck. In seconds, he was ejected to the road and run over. He didn’t survive.
This is a stand out state where a motorcycles path parting is legitimate: California. With the continually expanding activity on multi-path streets, it is more disputable than any time in recent memory. Reports are that numerous drivers trust it ought to be unlawful, and that streets would be much more secure without the practice. Motorcyclists opine that it makes them more secure in light of the fact that a rider can rapidly expel himself from a peril spot. At the point when sitting between two autos, for instance, and one gets back finished, a motorcyclist has no place to go. By splitting the paths, or lanes here, there is an out on the off chance that something happens.
In the past, CHP provided safety and so-called etiquette guidelines pertaining to lane splitting. As the controversy has gained momentum with the public, that information has been removed from the official website. Safety reminders for motorcyclists are still posted. CHP reportedly doesn’t encourage the practice unless it is done in a safe manner.
A motorist’s point of view is that no matter how aware a driver tries to be, looking away for a second while a motorcyclist scoots in and out may be all it takes to cause a calamity. Bikers counter that a safe approach, revving an engine to let drivers know a motorcycle is there and not speeding are ways they can lessen the risk while keeping the opportunity.
Drivers of any vehicle must take responsibility for safety by traveling the roads without fatigue, distraction and impatience. In California, lane splitting doesn’t make an accident automatically the fault of a motorcyclist. If another driver is distracted and hits the motorcyclist, there’s a possibility the other driver may be found at fault during a personal injury case.
Source: Motorcyclists, car drivers don’t agree on lane splitting, “KBFX Eyewitness News” Mimi Elkalla, Aug. 25, 2014
