The hot topic in Orange County is of course the number of motorcycle accidents that have begun to crop up as of late, including one involving  a Garden Grove man who died while lane splitting .  While many people are trying to blame lane splitting, proponents say the practice is safe if both motorcyclist and car drivers pay attention and obey the rules of the road.

Which leads to the topic of what the true cause of recent motorcycle accident related deaths has been.  People who say lane sharing is the culprit do not have the data to back that up.  Current research does exists however, that seems to indicate that many motorcycle collisions are caused by  speeding, improper turning or  passing, and unsafe lane changes.   Motorists who disregard the motorcycles right-of-way also cause more biker injuries and deaths that any hot-dogging, wheelie popping shenanigans do.

On average, many motorcyclists are respectful of the rules of the road and try to ride safely.  In regards to altering perceptions, educating people on these facts could be the key.

The Case for Lane Splitting

To date, California is the only State in the Union that legally allows lane splitting, but with a few stipulations.  The practice is supposed to largely be used during stop and go traffic and was originally intended to help motorcycles keep their engines from over heating.  Bikes tend to need to keep moving as their engines are air cooled.  When they stop a lot in traffic, they can stall out.

Unfortunately, some people abuse the freedom and indulge unsafe practices, like trying to lane split at speeds greater than what could be found in a typical traffic situation—it is then that injuries could result.

Nonetheless, when prudence is used, lane splitting is safe and legal, so a motorcyclist that was obeying the rules and is hurt can fight for their legal rights in civil court after an accident.

Reality versus perception

Part of the issue is that motorist do not understand the special needs of motorcyclist  and a great majority do not like sharing the road with them at all.  The way to change this is to really address the concerns bikers have in a way that educates the public.

For example, many people do not understand why lane sharing is necessary and therefore are more annoyed at the practice than they should be.  As any car driver will tell you,  most really feel violated by sharing the space.  One somewhat valid reason is that car drivers can miss their intended off ramp when a bike is sitting next to him.

However, this impatience is no excuse to cause harm or potentially endanger the lives of motorcyclist for what is essentially a legal maneuver.  Any biker that is hurt in a situation where a road raging passenger car driver its to blame has to right to pursue financial compensation via a personal injury lawsuit.

We can Help

At  Slaughter and Slaughter, we know the stereotypes associated with bikers and understand the unique challenges motorcyclists face. Because of this, we can form a solid case that will remove the automatic bias that can accompany such litigation.  Once this is done, you are more apt to prevail in court.

If you have been hurt in a motorcycle accident, the law is on your side!  Call us today for a case evaluation and see what we can do to ensure you get the fair treatment and injury related compensation you deserve.

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