Daily Slideshow: The (Mostly) Good and Bad of Lane-Splitting
If lane-splitting was to be legalized nationwide, what would it look like in reality? There are certainly pros and cons to lane-splitting but recent studies suggest the pros heavily outweigh the cons.
Reasonably Safe
For anyone who thinks that lane-splitting isn't overly dangerous, there's finally some scientific research to back you up. The University of Berkeley conducted the study, which involved nearly 6,000 motorcycle-involved traffic collisions. Of these accidents, around 1,000 occurred while the motorcyclist was lane splitting. Lane-splitting motorcyclists, known as 'LSMs' in the study, were less likely to suffer a head, torso, or fatal injury than non-lane-splitting motorcyclists. LSMs were also more likely to travel at lower speeds and wear better gear. The most interesting finding was that, as long as the speed differential between traffic and the LSM was kept to 15mph or below, lane splitting didn't pose a notably higher chance of injury over regular riding. This was true as long as traffic wasn't moving over 50 mph.
Basic Risks
Bearing the findings of the Barkley study in mind, there are still some basic risks that come as a result of lane-splitting. When traffic is at a standstill, motorcyclists are vulnerable to car doors opening suddenly, especially in built-up urban areas. On multi-lane roads, lane-splitting motorcyclists leave themselves open to being taken out by drivers who suddenly change lane. Although lane-splitting motorcyclists are, arguably, more visible while lane splitting, as they're on an open part of the road, visibility can be an issue when passing large trucks.
Reduced Congestion
Think of lane-splitting the same way you think of small twigs sailing past large logs down a river. When a motorcyclist takes themselves out of the queue of traffic and lane-splits, it frees up more room for cars and trucks. The end result is reduced congestion. A study conducted in the U.S. found that if just 10% of car drivers started commuting by motorcycle, motorists would spend 63% less time stuck in traffic. Another study, conducted in Brussels, found congestion would disappear entirely if 25% of motorists opted to use motorcycles instead of cars.
Reduced emissions and Fuel Consumption
This point very much extends from the last. If you're stuck in traffic or even moving very slowly, your vehicle is burning fuel in the most inefficient way possible. Reducing congestion, in turn, means that traffic starts to move faster and vehicles burn fuel more efficiently. This reduces fuel consumption across the board, as well as vehicle emissions.
Other Drivers
In many countries around the world, lane-splitting is legal and has been for a long time. Drivers have grown up with an awareness that motorcyclists may pass between lanes. Checking for motorcyclists who are lane-splitting is part of their driving routine. The problem is, this is not the case in the majority of the U.S. This issue is highlighted in California, where lane-splitting is legal, and out of state drivers collide with motorcyclists who are lane-splitting as they're not used to it. Ensuring other drivers are trained to look out for lane-splitting motorcyclists would be crucial if lane splitting was to be made legal nationwide.
Convenience
As was mentioned earlier, lane-splitting results in the reduction of congestion. This means everyone gets to where they want to go faster. But for the lane-splitting motorcyclists, they get to where they want to go much faster. A study conducted in the U.K., where lane splitting is legal, found that motorcyclists in urban areas shortened their journey times by up to 33 minutes of every hour. The same study found that, even in more rural areas, motorcyclists shaved 20 minutes off for every hour of travel. Money may not be able to buy you time, but lane-splitting certainly can.
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