The state of California made headlines across the country recently when it became the first state to legalize lane-splitting for motorcycle drivers. Although several studies and expert opinions backed up this move as being safest for those on two wheels as well as beneficial for all other drivers on the road, many drivers are still confused about the details involved in this controversial law.
According to the San Diego Tribune, many of the guidelines for lane-splitting are still being fine-tuned. One of the biggest points for confusion is the fact that you can still be given a ticket for utilizing the move if an officer feels you are doing so in an unsafe manner.
This means that it is important for you to understand what constitutes safe riding practices and what will land you with a fine. In order to clarify these issues, California Highway Patrol officials are working to develop a set of standard recommendations.
Current guidelines advise you to only employ the move if the flow of surrounding traffic is less than 30 miles per hour. If other vehicles are traveling faster than that, you will be safer staying in your own lane.
Another recommendation is that you keep your speed to only 10 mph faster than the flow of traffic. Motorcyclists are more likely to experience severe injuries when they are moving faster, so keeping your speed down can allow you to get out of heavy traffic, but keep you from being seriously injured if you do crash. This information is intended for your education and should not be taken as legal advice.
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