Chapter 35: Motorcycle Safety
Why Motorcycles Need Extra Space
Motorcycles can brake and change speed faster than cars can, so keep more following distance than you would behind a car. Riders also sometimes shift position within their own lane to avoid road debris, potholes, or wind gusts — that movement is normal riding technique, not erratic driving.
Checking for Motorcycles
A motorcycle's narrower profile makes it easy to miss in a mirror glance or blind-spot check — take an extra beat before changing lanes specifically to look for one. Note that lane-splitting by other vehicles alongside a car is not permitted in California; only motorcycles have any legal allowance to travel between lanes of slow or stopped traffic, and only under specific conditions.