Central New York Injury Lawyer Blog
It’s motor cycle season again. While I don’t have the statistics for last year yet, I know that a total of 4,381 motorcyclists died in U.S. crashes in 2013. That’s about 30 times the number of people who died in car crashes, even though many more cars than bikes travel our roads.
Many of those deaths are not the bikers’ fault; four-wheel drivers just don’t see motorcycles. They then cut them off or come blasting out from stop signs into their right of way.
But of course many bikers cause their own death or serious injury, too. One way to do it is called “lane-splitting”. That’s where you ride through the space between cars in parallel traffic lanes. If a cop catches you, it’ll cost you 2-points on your license. If a car “catches” you, it could cost you your life.
The practice is outlawed for a reason. A motorist could change lanes into you, or open his door and hit you, or drift into you and strike you, all because your sudden presence between lanes is so unexpected. As you pass those slow or stopped vehicles, you will also pass thorough their blind spot, so when they want to change lanes, they may not see you.
Hey motorcyclist. Don’t lane-split. If you do, and you get clobbered, I’ll try to help you prove the automobile driver was at fault — at least partly. Yes, I’ll be your New York motorcycle accident lawyer. But it will be nearly impossible to get you a clean 100% victory in Court if you lane-split. Some of the fault will lie with you.
Keep safe!
Mike Bersani
Email me at: bersani@mbk-law.com I’d love to hear from you!
Michael G. Bersani, Esq.
mbk-law.com Central and Syracuse NY Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Michaels Bersani Kalabanka
1-315-253-3293