Everyone driving any kind of motor vehicle on public roads is supposed to act responsibly in order to minimize the risk of anyone getting hurt in a crash. In reality, a lot of drivers don’t give motorcycle riders the space and respect they deserve, which means it’s often up to individual riders to make sure they don’t get hurt by negligent drivers around them.
Knowing Blue Bell motorcycle traffic laws before you get out on the road can be key to avoiding serious and even life-threatening injuries in a wreck. A seasoned motorcycle accident attorney can help you understand the ways in which Pennsylvania law uniquely addresses motorcycle riders compared to commuter car drivers.
How Much Space Can Motorcyclists Take Up?
According to state traffic laws, motorcyclists in Blue Bell have the exact same right to use the full width of a traffic lane as any other motor vehicle driver. That means other drivers can’t pass motorcyclists without being fully in an adjacent traffic lane when they do so, and they also can’t tailgate motorcyclists or brake suddenly ahead of them. Drivers have to treat motorcyclists the exact same way they would treat any other driver.
This rule works both ways. Motorcyclists can’t pass cars without moving into an adjacent themselves. They also can’t pass or ride on the shoulder of a road or highway, and they have to yield—and be yielded to—at stop lights and stop signs in the same ways as any other driver.
Lane Splitting and Sharing
One regulation that’s worth emphasizing when talking about motorcycle traffic laws for riders in Blue Bell is that Pennsylvania does not allow lane splitting. While motorcyclists can ride between traffic lanes to advance to the front of traffic jams and lines of cars at intersections in some states, that behavior is against the law here.
Two motorcyclists can ride next to each other within the same lane of traffic—in other words, lane sharing. You can’t ride more than two abreast within the same lane, and all the rules for passing other traffic still apply.
Ride on Red Rules
Another Blue Bell motorcycle traffic regulation you should know about is the Ride on Red law. Someone who waits long enough at a red light that they can tell the light is broken or that a weight sensor under the road hasn’t picked up that they and their bike are there can treat the red light like a stop sign and advance through the intersection once there’s no oncoming traffic.
Learn More About Motorcycle Traffic Laws from a Blue Bell Attorney
Even if you follow every rule that applies, you may not be able to avoid getting caught up in a traffic accident caused entirely by another person’s misconduct. In a situation like this, being able to show that you were following all the Blue Bell motorcycle traffic laws can be vital to avoiding legal trouble yourself and building the strongest possible civil claim against the person responsible for your wreck.
Guidance from a skilled lawyer will dramatically improve your chances of getting the favorable case result you want. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to learn more during a free consultation.
