Among road accidents in the US, the ones involving a motorcycle are often the deadliest. Motorcyclists acquire severe injuries, especially when they ride without adequate protection to the head and body. Many injuries require long-term or lifelong treatment. The State of Nevada follows modified comparative negligence, where each driver’s negligence is calculated.
To answer the question in the title, in brief, lane splitting is not legal in Las Vegas and the whole of Nevada. However, there are states where it is legal. If you have been in an accident due to a motorcycle making illegal maneuvers, talk to a legal expert from the High Stakes Injury Law. Meanwhile, read this blog to find out more about lane splitting.
Is lane splitting legal in Las Vegas?
No. Lane splitting is not legal in Las Vegas or anywhere else in Nevada, for that matter. While lane splitting commonly occurs with motorcycles, it is also prohibited for cars and other vehicles. Many people confuse lane splitting with lane sharing. It is important to understand the difference between the two.
Lane sharing is sharing the same lane and going side-by-side with another motorcycle in the same lane. However, lane splitting is riding between a motorcycle and a car or between any two vehicles when there is not enough safe space to do so.
Exceptions to the rules
Since lane splitting is illegal in Nevada, you might be wondering if the motorcycle is always at fault in the event of an accident. The answer is no.
Even when a motorcycle engages in the illegal activity of lane splitting, it is not allowed to intentionally swerve your car towards it, causing it to fall down. If a car driver was on the phone texting or distracted and did not see the motorcycle lane splitting, the driver might also be held responsible for the accident.
How can lane splitting affect your claim?
As already mentioned, lane splitting is illegal in Nevada. Therefore, if you have an accident claim and you were found to be engaged in lane splitting, you could lose some or all of the compensation. The level of liability depends on your reason to split lanes, speed, visibility of the other motorist, etc.
If you are working towards obtaining an insurance claim, you can have a hard time trying to convince the insurance adjusters to give you compensation. This is because you are guilty of not following the safety road measures.
Indeed, lane-splitting accidents can be confusing to deal with, especially with no legal counsel on your side. Regardless of what you did to get involved in the case, do not hesitate to consult with an attorney. They can help determine if another party was negligent.
