Great news for riders and drivers on California roadways! Between 2016 and 2017, California statistics on motorcycle crashes showed a fatality decrease of around 30 percent. The national decrease between those years was a scant 5.6 percent, so California is showing marked improvement overall states/areas other than Wyoming, Mississippi, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.
The Santa Monica motorcycle accident lawyers of Steinberg Injury Lawyers are privy every day to the horrific results of motorcycle accidents. Distracted driving by drivers of passenger vehicles is a major cause of motorcycle accidents across the state. However, most motorcycle accidents actually involve no one else except the rider. Speed is the most common contributor to motorcycle crashes, and it is almost always the case that the rider’s bike spins out of control due to speeding.
However, as the statistics show, there is plenty to celebrate. This decrease follows a change in California law that allows motorcycle riders to “lane split,” which legally allows them to cut between lanes of vehicle traffic when going below 50 mph. This law, which may seem counterintuitive at first, could be contributing to greater attention by vehicle drivers and less unexpected and risky behavior from riders frustrated at being stuck behind slow-moving traffic.
The unusually wet winter, which kept many motorcycles cooped up in the garage, may have also had an impact on the fatality decrease. With less riders on the road comes less motorcycle crashes, of course. But law enforcement and riders alike are hopeful that the main cause for the decrease is the new lane splitting law and increased efforts by law enforcement agencies, such as CHP, to ticket unsafe behavior on the road – whether it’s originating with drivers or riders.
While Steinberg Injury Lawyers celebrates California’s fantastic new statistics on motorcycle crash fatalities, if you or a loved one have been injured in a motorcycle crash of any type we encourage you to call our motorcycle accident lawyers for a free consultation. We will effectively and immediately advocate on your behalf to preserve your legal rights. Call us today at 1-800-350-8888 for more information.
