{"id":1214,"date":"2026-10-21T05:35:08","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T05:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/34-138-224-95.nip.io\/motorcycle-accident-lawyer\/top-rated-motorcycle-accident-lawyers\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T08:21:30","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T08:21:30","slug":"top-rated-motorcycle-accident-lawyers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/colvinaccidentlawyers.com\/resources\/motorcycle-accident-lawyer\/top-rated-motorcycle-accident-lawyers\/","title":{"rendered":"Bakersfield Motorcycle Accident Lawyer: Lane Splitting Fault"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Bakersfield Motorcycle Accident Lawyer<\/p>

Hurt in a Motorcycle Crash? Talk to Colvin Accident Lawyers in Bakersfield<\/h1>

Lane position, speed and who had the right of way can all shape a motorcycle injury claim. Our team focuses on accident victims and families in Kern County. Start with a free, confidential first consultation with no obligation to continue.<\/p>

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By Donald Norman Colvin \u00b7 Published October 21, 2026<\/p>\n\n

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A motorcycle accident lawyer handles injury claims for riders and their families after a crash. This page is for two common situations. In the first, a car hits a rider who is lane splitting. In the second, a driver or insurer says the rider caused the crash by splitting lanes.<\/p>\n

Motorcycle claims are personal injury claims. They seek payment for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. Under Vehicle Code section 17150<\/a>, a vehicle owner is liable for injury caused by a negligent driver who uses the vehicle with the owner’s permission. That can matter when the car belongs to someone other than the driver.<\/p>\n

Colvin Accident Lawyers handles motorcycle accident claims, along with car, truck, bus, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury cases. The firm is based in Bakersfield, California, and serves riders in Kern County and nearby communities, including Fresno, Visalia, Lancaster, Palmdale, Delano, and Tehachapi. If you want your own facts reviewed, contact our team<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Is Lane Splitting Legal in California?<\/h2>\n

Vehicle Code section 21658.1<\/a> addresses lane splitting, the practice of riding a motorcycle between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane. Its text does not itself declare lane splitting legal or illegal.<\/p>\n

Lane splitting means driving a motorcycle with two wheels on the ground between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane. The statute covers both divided and undivided roads.<\/p>\n

The statute lets the California Highway Patrol develop educational guidelines on lane splitting. When it does, the CHP must consult agencies and organizations with an interest in road safety and motorcyclist behavior, including, but not limited to, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Traffic Safety, and a motorcycle organization focused on motorcyclist safety.<\/p>\n

A crash during lane splitting does not, by itself, show that the rider was at fault. Fault turns on what each driver and rider did before the impact, so the facts of the ride matter.<\/p>\n\n

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If a car hit you while you were lane splitting and an insurer now blames you, we can review your crash facts with you in a consultation. Talk it through with our team — the first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation.<\/p>

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How Fault Is Decided When a Car Hits a Lane-Splitting Rider<\/h2>\n

Under Li v. Yellow Cab Co.<\/a>, an injured person’s damages are reduced in proportion to their own fault.<\/p>\n

Fault questions often focus on driver conduct. Under Civil Code section 1714<\/a>, a person is responsible for injury caused by want of ordinary care, except so far as the injured person has, willfully or by want of ordinary care, brought the injury upon himself or herself. A driver who turns across a rider’s path, changes lanes, or opens a door without looking may share responsibility. A driver who goes faster than conditions allow can also violate Vehicle Code section 22350<\/a>, which bars driving faster than is reasonable or prudent.<\/p>\n

The rider’s own speed and lane position can be argued too.<\/p>\n

Investigators typically ask where each vehicle was, how fast each moved, what the traffic and signals were, and how visible the rider was. The answer depends on the facts of each crash.<\/p>\n

Common Fault Arguments and the Evidence That Tests Them<\/h2>\n

Drivers and insurers often argue that the rider was cutting between cars, speeding, or in the wrong lane position. Each argument can be tested with evidence.<\/p>\n