Why Are California Motorcycle Accidents Increasing in the Bay Area?

by Staff Blogger | September 15th, 2015

The Bay Area has recently seen a dramatic increase in the number of highway accidents involving motorcycles. Our California motorcycle accident attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers explain that a recent investigation looked into the phenomenon in hopes of uncovering a cause for the string of crashes. It began at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 3, when the first report of a San Francisco motorcycle accident was received. By 9 a.m, there were a total of 14 such collisions with eight involving injuries. As officials and experts began to look into the cause of the accidents, they found lane splitting at higher speeds may be to blame. Steven Guderian, a former highway safety specialist for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, explained in an article posted by CBS San Francisco that motorcyclists who split or share a lane while traveling at speeds of seven to 10 miles faster than other traffic significantly increase their chances of being involved in a serious accident. Guderian added that lane spitting is a practice that should only be used by motorcyclists traveling at lower speeds. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we know that not all motorcycle accidents can be prevented, but following a few simple safety suggestions can help to keep you safe while you ride. That’s why our California personal injury lawyers urge you to:
  • Always Wear a Helmet– Utilizing a helmet each time you ride can help you reduce your chances of injury in an accident by as much as 40 percent. It can also reduce your odds of being killed in a collision by approximately 65 percent.
  • Only Split Lanes in Slower Traffic– Lane splitting is legal in California; however, caution should be used when riding in this manner. That’s why the California Highway Patrol suggests never splitting lanes when traffic is traveling faster than 30 miles per hour. Also never travel more than 10 miles per hour faster than the vehicles around you.
  • Be Vigilant– It’s often difficult for drivers to spot oncoming motorcyclists, so be aware of the vehicles and drivers around you anytime you’re on a motorcycle.