I have recently seen a few cases involving motorcycles engaged in a practice called “lane splitting.” Lane splitting is a dangerous practice that results in a significant number of motorcycle and automobile accidents here in Mississippi. I have written this blog post to explain lane splitting and what you should do if you are a motorist injured as a result of it.
But what is lane splitting? Lane splitting is when a motorcyclist rides between the two lanes of traffic between vehicles. If you have been startled when a motorcycle buzzed in between you and a moving car in another lane, you have experienced lane splitting but did not know its name. This applies to driving between two moving vehicles or two stationary vehicles.
If you have sustained an injury in as a result of lane splitting or any other unsafe driving, you must find experienced counsel to help you attain your fair share of compensation for your loss of income and injury. Barrett Law has the experience to help you if you have been injured. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
The Dangers of Lane Splitting
Like the vast majority of states, lane splitting is illegal here in Mississippi. In fact, it is only legal in California. There is a good reason for its widespread prohibition, as lane splitting is both dangerous to motorcyclists themselves as well as the other motorists with whom they share the road.
Lane splitting is dangerous for many reasons, all of them having to do with the limited mobility and visibility it exacerbates. First, when a motorcycle occupies the same lane as another vehicle, they are very close. If either one has to swerve suddenly to avoid an obstacle or another vehicle, catastrophic collisions often occur. Second, when a motorcycle shares a lane with an automobile, it often results in the motorcycle, which is usually already difficult for a driver to see, being in the automobile driver’s blind spot. As a result, the driver may change lanes without seeing the motorcycle and cause a collision. Third, when lane splitting occurs between stationary vehicles, such as in a stopped traffic scenario, the motorcycle has nowhere to go if a driver decides to open his or her door quickly. While usually, the motorcyclist could merely swerve to get away from the door, he or she is prohibited from doing that by a car parked in another lane of traffic.
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Has Been in an Accident with a Motorcycle?
If you were injured in a motorcycle accident or an accident caused by a motorcycle, you might have a viable personal injury claim for any time you have been out of work, the costs of your treatment and rehabilitation, your pain and suffering, and other damages. There was a time when few motorcycle riders carried insurance, but that is mostly no longer the case. As a result, recovering compensation for your injuries from an accident involving a motorcycle is not the challenge it once was.
Let experienced counsel take care of organizing your bills, attaining statements from expert witnesses, reviewing police reports, and dealing with the other parties’ attorneys. These are just a few of the critical, complex tasks that a personal injury attorney will handle for you while you concentrate on healing and getting back on your feet again.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered an injury due to lane splitting or any other unsafe condition caused by motorcycles. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
