If you’re a motorcycle rider in California, you might be wondering why lane-splitting is legal in California but not in other states.
This is exactly what we’re going to answer in this guide:
Reason for Lane-Splitting Being Legal in California
Before anything else, it’s important to understand that the volume of freeway traffic in California is higher than it is in most other US states. Keeping this in view, lane-splitting is largely seen as a means to decrease traffic congestion.
But how does lane-splitting minimize traffic congestion? When riding a motorcycle in a high-traffic scenario, you could be occupying a vehicle space, which only maximizes traffic congestion. By lane-splitting, you’ll be sharing a lane with another vehicle or be riding between lanes, thereby reducing the number of vehicles in individual freeway lanes. This significantly mitigates traffic congestion.
Plus, based on a 2015 study by the University of California, Berkeley, you can safely lane-split in traffic moving at a speed of 50 mph or less, and when you don’t exceed the speed of the rest of the traffic by 15 mph.
This explanation may give rise to another concern: why “Why is it illegal in other states?” Well, most other states don’t experience as much traffic congestion as that seen in California, so lane-splitting simply doesn’t need to be permitted on freeways. Making the practice legal in those states can in fact undermine the safety of riders and lead to grave accidents.
Conclusion
By now, you should have developed a clear understanding of why lane-splitting is legal in California. Still, if you face a motorcycle accident while lane-splitting or any other scenario, hire a Los Angeles motorcycle lawyer and file your personal injury claim as soon as possible.