The practice of lane splitting, or “white lining,” is not legal in Florida. Motorcyclists, cyclists, and other parties may not use the white lane on a road to pass by other vehicles, regardless of their circumstances.
Unfortunately, some parties still try to white line, and in doing so, put themselves and the people around them at risk. If you fall victim to a white lining accident, you have the right to connect with a motorcycle accident lawyer in Fort Myers to hold a negligent party liable for your losses.
Our legal team can leverage over 40 years of combined experience to advocate for your right to lane-splitting accident compensation. If you have questions about whether or not lane splitting is legal in Florida and how you can hold people responsible for negligent roadway behavior, contact our team.
What Do Florida’s Laws Say About Lane Splitting?
According to Florida Statute § 316.209, motorcyclists have the right to use a full lane of traffic, and other motorists on the road must respect a motorcyclist’s right to a full lane. However, motorcyclists may not split lanes, per the statute.
Attempts to pass another vehicle using an occupied lane can see a motorist face legal consequences for their misconduct. Likewise, motorcyclists cannot overtake other vehicles using the space between lanes of traffic or the space between rows of vehicles, regardless of whether or not the vehicles are stationary or in motion.
In other words, lane splitting is illegal in Florida, and dangerous, to boot. Motorcyclists who try to lane split endanger everyone on the road around them and can face penalties for their behavior, regardless of whether or not their misconduct results in serious accidents.
Exceptions to Florida’s Lane Splitting Laws
There is one exception to Florida’s rules about lane splitting. Emergency vehicles, police officers, and firefighters have the right to lane split so long as doing so is part of their official duties.
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How Does Florida Punish Lane Splitters?
Motorcyclists accused of lane splitting can face consequences for noncriminal traffic infractions. These infractions tend to see drivers receive tickets, after which they need to pay a fine. The value of the fine a motorcyclist has to pay will vary depending on the severity of their violation and whether or not their misconduct resulted in an accident.
Motorcyclists who cause dangerous accidents by lane splitting can face increased fines and liability for injured parties’ losses. Some lane splitters may even face misdemeanor charges or worse, especially if their behavior results in someone’s injury or death.
How Can You Recover From a Lane Splitting Accident?
If you’re injured in a lane-splitting accident, connect with emergency responders as soon as you can. Your health needs to be your first priority. Afterward, you can document your accident scene and find the evidence you need to prove that a lane splitter’s negligence played a direct role in your accident.
You don’t have to conduct an investigation into your lane-splitting accident alone. Working with a Fort Myers personal injury lawyer makes it easier to focus on your health without compromising your right to ask for compensation based on your losses.
Our legal team can investigate what specific instances of negligence entitle you to support from an insurer or a liable party. We can then help you move forward with an insurance claim or bring your losses to the attention of a civil judge. While we can’t support you during a criminal investigation, our civil support can help you secure the compensation you need to heal.
When Should You Contact a Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyer?
Don’t wait to get in touch with a Fort Myers car accident lawyer after a lane-splitting accident. Because our team knows that lane splitting isn’t legal in Florida, we can immediately begin helping you take the action you need to alleviate your financial stress and get justice for your losses.
What’s more, we can help you regardless of how you want to recover from your accident. We know how insurance adjusters work and can prevent them from lowballing the cost of your recovery.
We can simultaneously help you preserve your right to legal action by filing a civil claim in your name before Florida’s personal injury statute of limitations expires. All the while, you can trust us to prioritize your recovery goals. Once you book a free case consultation with us, you get to take control of your recovery process.
Will Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyers Work on Contingency?
Lane-splitting accidents can leave you in a difficult financial position. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about legal fees when you connect with our legal team. You can start working with our Fort Myers personal injury lawyers without putting any money down toward our services.
Our contingency fee policy ensures that you can book a free, no-obligation consultation with our staff, during which you can discuss your right to recoverable action. If you decide you want to work with us, you can start without paying a deposit. We won’t charge you by the hour for our representation or investigative services.
Our legal team only gets paid for representing you throughout your lane-splitting accident case, so long as you get compensated for your losses. If we don’t win your case, you don’t owe us a dime.
Book a Free Lane Splitting Accident With Our Law Firm Today
Do you need to talk to a legal professional about a recent lane-splitting accident? Book a free case consultation with our team at Viles & Beckman today. We know that lane splitting isn’t legal in Florida, and we can help you take civil action against a negligent party.
While we won’t play a role in your criminal case, our support in and out of civil court can make all the difference as you try to financially recover from your recent losses.