Lane Splitting Motorcycle Accidents in California
Lane splitting is a common part of motorcycle riding on California roads and freeways. It generally occurs when a motorcycle travels between rows of stopped or moving vehicles traveling in the same direction.
California recognizes lane splitting, but that does not mean every lane-splitting situation is automatically safe. Traffic speed, the difference between the motorcycle’s speed and surrounding vehicles, lane width, visibility, road conditions, and the movements of nearby drivers can all affect the risk of a collision.
When a lane-splitting accident happens, the fact that the rider was traveling between lanes does not automatically determine who caused the crash. Another driver may have made an unsafe lane change, failed to check a blind spot, drifted within a lane, or otherwise moved into the motorcycle’s path. The rider’s speed and movements may also become part of the investigation.
DAG Law Firm, APC represents riders injured in qualifying motorcycle accidents throughout California. You do not pay attorney fees unless we win your case. There are no upfront attorney fees for qualifying motorcycle accident matters handled on a contingency-fee basis. Call (323) 930-2020 or contact DAG Law Firm today for a free consultation.
What Lane Splitting Means In California
Lane splitting generally refers to a motorcycle traveling between rows of stopped or moving vehicles traveling in the same direction. Riders may encounter lane-splitting situations during freeway congestion, slow traffic, stop-and-go conditions, or heavy traffic on city streets.
California law recognizes lane splitting. That is important after an accident because an insurance company should not automatically treat the rider as responsible simply because the motorcycle was traveling between lanes.
The surrounding circumstances still matter. A rider’s speed, the speed of nearby traffic, available space, visibility, weather, lane width, and the movements of surrounding vehicles can all become important when evaluating what happened.
Lane splitting is also different from riding on the shoulder. Riders and drivers should understand the distinction as well as the other motorcycle rules that may apply.
Learn more in California Motorcycle Laws Every Rider Should Know.
How Lane Splitting Motorcycle Accidents Happen
A motorcycle traveling between lanes can encounter vehicles making sudden or unexpected movements. A driver may change lanes, drift from the center of a lane, merge, brake suddenly, or move toward an opening without noticing the motorcycle.
Some accidents happen because a driver fails to use a turn signal or check mirrors and blind spots before moving laterally. Others may involve distraction, aggressive driving, or a driver attempting to block the rider’s path.
Traffic itself can also change quickly. A gap may open, vehicles may begin moving after being stopped, or one driver may change lanes in response to slowing traffic.
The motorcyclist’s actions can also become relevant. Speed, positioning, visibility, available space, and how the rider responded to surrounding traffic may all be examined after a crash.
Determining what happened usually requires more than knowing that lane splitting was taking place. The movements of both the motorcycle and surrounding vehicles need to be considered.
Unsafe Lane Changes And Driver Blind Spots
One common lane-splitting collision occurs when another vehicle moves into the motorcycle’s path while changing lanes.
Motorcycles are smaller than passenger vehicles and can be more difficult to notice, particularly when briefly traveling through a driver’s blind spot. SUVs, trucks, buses, and other larger vehicles may have even larger areas where a rider is difficult to see.
Drivers should check their surroundings before changing lanes or moving laterally through traffic. A driver who moves without properly checking mirrors, blind spots, and nearby traffic can create an immediate danger for a motorcycle traveling alongside the vehicle.
Vehicle damage can sometimes provide useful information about this type of crash. Damage along the side of a car and corresponding damage to a motorcycle may help show how the vehicles contacted each other.
Witness statements, dash-camera footage, helmet-camera recordings, and nearby surveillance video may provide additional information when the driver and rider disagree about how the lane change happened.
Distracted Driving And Lane Splitting Crashes
Distracted driving can make lane splitting especially dangerous. A driver looking at a phone, navigation system, passenger, vehicle controls, or another distraction may not notice a motorcycle approaching between lanes.
Even a short distraction can matter when traffic is close together. A vehicle can drift toward another lane, begin changing lanes, brake suddenly, or fail to respond to changing traffic during the time the driver is looking away.
Phone use is not the only possible distraction. Eating, reaching for an object, adjusting controls, looking for an address, or focusing on something outside the vehicle can also affect driver attention.
Proving distraction may require information beyond the driver’s own statement. Witnesses, video, police information, vehicle data, and legally obtained electronic records may help establish what the driver was doing before impact.
Learn more about motorcycle accidents caused by distracted drivers in California.
Who May Be Responsible For A Lane Splitting Accident?
Responsibility for a lane-splitting motorcycle accident depends on how the collision occurred. Another driver may be responsible if that person made an unsafe lane change, drifted toward the motorcycle, failed to check a blind spot, or otherwise moved into the rider’s path.
A distracted driver may also contribute to a crash by failing to notice the motorcycle before changing position in traffic. In other cases, aggressive driving or an attempt to block a rider can become part of the investigation.
Commercial drivers, rideshare drivers, delivery drivers, employers, or vehicle owners may become relevant when the vehicle involved was being used for work or another business purpose.
Some accidents involve the actions of more than one person. A rider and another driver may each be accused of contributing to the crash, making photographs, video, witness information, and physical vehicle damage particularly important.
Learn more about who may be liable in a California motorcycle accident.
Lane Splitting Does Not Automatically Make The Rider Responsible
The fact that a motorcyclist was lane splitting does not automatically establish that the rider caused the accident.
An investigation may look at how fast the motorcycle was traveling, how fast surrounding traffic was moving, whether another vehicle changed lanes, whether a turn signal was used, and whether the driver checked mirrors and blind spots.
Visibility and available space can also matter. A collision in slow, congested traffic may involve different facts from one occurring when surrounding vehicles and the motorcycle are traveling faster.
Insurance companies may argue that the rider was moving too quickly, traveling too close to vehicles, or otherwise riding unsafely. Those arguments should be evaluated against the available information rather than accepted simply because lane splitting was involved.
If both the rider and another driver contributed to the collision, the effect of shared responsibility depends on the specific facts. The motorcycle’s presence between lanes should be only one part of the overall analysis.
Photos, Video And Other Accident Records
Available records can become especially important in lane-splitting accidents because the rider and driver may provide very different descriptions of how the crash occurred.
Photos can document motorcycle damage, vehicle damage, lane markings, debris, skid marks, traffic conditions, road conditions, and the position of the vehicles after the collision.
Video may provide an even clearer view of vehicle movement. Helmet cameras, dash cameras, nearby businesses, homes, parking areas, or traffic cameras may have captured part of the crash depending on the location.
Witnesses can help describe whether a vehicle changed lanes, whether a signal was used, how fast traffic appeared to be moving, and where the motorcycle was positioned before impact.
The motorcycle itself can also contain useful physical information. Preserving the motorcycle, helmet, riding equipment, photographs, medical records, and insurance correspondence can help maintain a more complete record of the accident.
Some video and electronic information can be lost or overwritten as time passes, making early preservation important.
Injuries And What To Do After A Lane Splitting Accident
Motorcyclists have relatively little protection during a collision. A lane-splitting crash can throw the rider from the motorcycle or push the rider into another vehicle, the pavement, or another object.
Possible injuries include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, neck and back injuries, spinal injuries, shoulder injuries, leg and knee injuries, internal injuries, road rash, nerve damage, and scarring.
Some riders require emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, physical therapy, rehabilitation, or continuing medical care. Injuries can also affect the rider’s ability to work, walk, exercise, drive, sleep, or handle ordinary responsibilities.
After a collision, obtaining appropriate medical attention is generally a priority. When possible, preserving photographs, witness information, video, vehicle information, the motorcycle, helmet, riding gear, medical papers, and insurance communications can also be useful.
Read What to Do After a Motorcycle Accident in California and learn more about common injuries in California motorcycle accident cases.
Case Value, Insurance And Filing Deadlines
There is no standard settlement amount for a lane-splitting motorcycle accident. Two riders can experience similar crashes but suffer very different injuries, treatment needs, missed income, and long-term physical limitations.
Potential case value can depend on medical care, future treatment, lost income, reduced ability to work, lasting physical restrictions, effect on daily life, responsibility, available records, and insurance coverage.
An insurer may dispute the claim by arguing that the rider’s speed or manner of lane splitting contributed to the collision. The available photographs, video, witness statements, vehicle damage, and other records may help evaluate those arguments.
Insurance can become more complicated when a commercial vehicle, rideshare driver, delivery vehicle, employer, or several drivers are involved.
Filing deadlines can also apply while medical treatment and insurance discussions continue. Different procedures or substantially earlier requirements may apply when a government entity or public property is involved.
Learn more about how much a California motorcycle accident case may be worth and California motorcycle accident claim deadlines.
California Motorcycle Accident Resources And How DAG Law Firm Can Help
Lane-splitting motorcycle accidents can involve questions about lane changes, blind spots, distracted driving, vehicle speed, rider position, serious injuries, insurance, shared responsibility, and the records available after the crash. The fact that lane splitting occurred should be evaluated together with the actions of everyone involved.
DAG Law Firm’s California motorcycle accident resources explain what to do after a motorcycle accident, California motorcycle laws, who may be responsible, and common motorcycle accident injuries.
Additional resources address motorcycle accident case value, California helmet laws, motorcycle accidents caused by distracted drivers, and California motorcycle accident filing deadlines.
DAG Law Firm, APC represents people injured in qualifying motorcycle accidents throughout California. You do not pay attorney fees unless we win your case. There are no upfront attorney fees for qualifying motorcycle accident matters handled on a contingency-fee basis.
Learn more about our California motorcycle accident representation, call (323) 930-2020, or contact DAG Law Firm today for a free consultation.
