The Hazards of Splitting Lanes

Motorcycles, in stop-and-go traffic or traffic jams in general, enjoy the ability to split the lanes of traffic and move through the problem with fewer stops than cars, trucks, and other automobiles. The practice of splitting lanes has long been viewed as dangerous, but recent evidence suggests it might not be as bad as originally thought.

In 2004, one of California’s private universities conducted a study at the behest of the US Department of Transportation to determine the safety or danger of splitting lanes. California was an ideal location to conduct the study because it is one of the few states that actually allows lane splitting, much to the chagrin of the drivers stuck in rush hour traffic.

The study found that lane splitting is actually safer for cyclists than is sitting in stop-and-go traffic. The reason it is safer is that it reduces the chances of a motorcycle being sandwiched between two cars.

One of the problems with the practice, however, is that motorists in traffic jams are frequently upset, annoyed, irritated, and antsy. They have been known to change lanes at the drop of a hat without giving anyone any indication of their intention. This situation is exceptionally dangerous to a cyclist who may be splitting the lane right behind that car. There is very little room to maneuver in stopped traffic, so it is quite easy for the motorcycle to become entangled in an accident.

Contact an Iowa Motorcycle Attorney

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, contact the Iowa motorcycle accident lawyers of the Pete Leehey Law Firm, P.C., at 877-209-9452.