Lane Splitting for Motorcycle Riders in Arizona: what is the law for motorcycle riders?
If HB 2475 gets its way, it will be legal for Arizona Motorcycle riders to split lanes. For those of you who have never had the pleasure of riding a motorcycle or even know what a motorcycle is, lane splitting means exactly that: riding between two lanes of traffic. In other words, if you are fortunate enough to be riding a motorcycle and traffic is stalled ahead of you, you can bypass all the cars by riding in between them. Of course, this is no easy path; you will need plenty of gumption to speed by cars stopped a few inches of either side of you. And even more point, riders who are brave enough to split lanes are brave enough to do so at high speed.
One of the reasons lane splitting might actually be a good idea is because, after intersection accidents and inexperienced riders riding, the most dangerous thing a motorcyclist can do is sit still. Why you ask? Because when you are sitting still is a great time for a car to hit you from behind. So the less time you sit still and are moving, especially with a line of cars to either side, the less likely you are to be hit from behind. But that argument is certainly inconclusive at best and might be simply a result of small sample size. In other words, the reason rear-enders are more dangerous than lane splitting is that lane splitting, is for the most part, illegal and not widely practiced. If lane splitting was completely legal, it might turn out to be more than dangerous than simply waiting in traffic, even with the increased risk of being rear ended. That is, the cure might very well be more dangerous than the disease. As far as I know, there is no definitive evidence that lane splitting causes more accidents or is less than dangerous than forcing motorcyclists to sit in traffic. Further, for now it is a hypothetical point as the lane splitting is still not yet legal in Arizona.
Contact a Phoenix, Arizona, Motorcycle Lawyer Today
If you are seeking legal representation or would like more information about our services, contact the law offices of Vladimir Gagic today to set up your free consultation. You can reach us at 602-955-1985, toll free at 855-843-6274 (855-THE MARINE)
