Lane splitting is not allowed or forbidden by Ohio law, making it something of a gray area. While lane sharing is legal, per Ohio Revised Code § 4511.55, there is no law that bans or approves lane splitting. However, if you were caught lane splitting, you could still get pulled over for improper lane changes and failure to maintain your lane.
If you were in a motorcycle accident that involved lane splitting, insurers or an at-fault driver may accuse you of being liable for the collision. However, multiple states have formally allowed lane splitting, which helps show that it may not be as inherently dangerous as it seems.
It is essential that you receive fair compensation for damages resulting from your motorcycle accident. You can hire a Columbus motorcycle accident lawyer from our firm to negotiate with insurers and fight for the financial compensation you are entitled to.
Lane Splitting Offers Benefits According to Some State Laws
Another liable motorcycle rider could characterize your lane-splitting as a reckless act motivated by impatience. While you may have been motivated to move through stand-still traffic by splitting lanes, this does not mean you engaged in a dangerous act.
In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains that:
- Lane splitting is legal in certain areas of the United States: California is among the states that have legalized lane-splitting, which is an indication that lane-splitting can be safe. No state would ever legalize drunk driving or distracted driving, which highlights the difference between lane splitting and other, objectively dangerous driving acts.
- Lane splitting can reduce traffic: One of the noted benefits of lane splitting is that it can help reduce traffic. Rather than take up space in a lane and contribute to congestion, skilled motorcyclists can split lanes, proceed to their destination, and reduce the total number of vehicles causing traffic.
- Lane splitting has other “possible safety benefits”: Lane-splitting may offer benefits that go along with reducing vehicle congestion. For instance, there may be fewer rear-end accidents involving motorcyclists when lane splitting is permitted. Rather than sitting behind traffic (where another vehicle could strike them from the rear), the motorcyclist would continue moving through traffic.
So long as a lane-splitting motorcyclist is skilled enough to maintain control of the motorcycle in tight quarters, lane-splitting can be a safe act that reduces congestion. As your personal injury attorneys, we will emphasize these facts if liable parties accuse you of causing your accident.
Motorists Have an Obligation to Reduce Risk of Injury, Even When a Motorcyclist Splits Lanes
Whether or not a motorcyclist is splitting lanes of traffic, motorists have a duty of care to exercise caution. For instance, a motorist may avoid causing a collision with a lane-splitting motorist if they:
- Refrain from distracted driving
- Refrain from driving while intoxicated, tired, or otherwise impaired
- Maintain safe positioning within their lanes (rather than veering out of the lane)
- Check mirrors before changing lanes
- Turn their head to check blind spots before changing lanes
- Give a lane-splitting motorist the right of way (as they are entitled to)
When a motorist changes lanes abruptly or fails to leave enough room between vehicles in another lane, they endanger lane-splitting motorcyclists.
Even If You Are Partially at Fault for an Accident, You Could be Entitled to Financial Compensation
Each accident involving a lane-splitting motorist involves different details. Because Ohio law does not explicitly allow lane splitting, we will be prepared for insurers or other parties to deem you partially at fault for the accident. These parties may argue that:
- You should not have been splitting lanes in a particular circumstance
- You did not split lanes in a completely safe manner
- The accident would not have happened if you had not split lanes
Even if you are deemed partially at fault for the accident, you can still seek financial compensation for your damages. The Ohio Department of Insurance explains motorists in Ohio can share fault for an accident, and that one’s proportion of fault will determine how much compensation you can receive from insurers or another liable party.
Ohio’s Ambiguity on Lane Splitting Can Work to Your Advantage
Just as Ohio law does not formally permit lane splitting, it does not formally prohibit lane splitting either. Our team will work to use this gray area to your advantage, arguing that you operated safely given the unique circumstances you were in.
Reasons to Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer After a Lane-Splitting Accident
The lack of clarity in Ohio’s lane-splitting laws is reason alone to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer. Cases involving lane-splitting are anything but cut and dry, and our motorcycle accident attorney will:
- Lend our knowledge of Ohio law to your case
- Seek evidence that indicates another motorist, rather than you, caused the accident
- Document your accident-related damages
- Pay the entire upfront cost of completing your case
- Secure a fair settlement or take your case to trial
- Handle every other aspect of your case
Motorcycle accidents are notoriously dangerous, and can also cause lasting trauma for the victim. You can focus on recovery while our team seeks compensation for your damages.
Our Personal Injury Lawyers Will Seek Compensation for All Your Accident-Related Damages
Our legal team will demand that liable parties (perhaps including a motorist who drove in front of you) pay for the cost of your accident, including:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income
- Diminished earning power
- Motorcycle repair costs
- The cost of replacing a totaled motorcycle
- Any other economic or non-economic harm resulting from your accident
If you have lost a loved one because of a lane-splitting accident in Columbus, please accept our team’s sympathies. A Columbus wrongful death lawyer from our team will compassionately account for your damages and lead your case from start to finish.
We Will Be
There To Help
You All The Way
Call The Fitch Law Firm LLC Today for a Free Consultation After a Motorcycle Crash
If we determine that you should file a personal injury lawsuit against liable parties, we will face a filing deadline for it. Do not wait to speak with our team, as we are available 24/7 to answer your call. The sooner you speak with us, the sooner we can take legal action and begin fighting for the compensation you deserve.
Call The Fitch Law Firm LLC today for your free consultation. We can assess your options and explain more about how you could benefit from legal representation.