safer than not splitting. I know that seems counter intuitive to people unfamiliar with the practice, but that is what the data shows and that is why its allowed in California and the rest of the world. It basically boils down to three factors. First, it almost completely eliminates the most common freeway accident (i.e. being rear-ended or rear ending someone else in stop and go traffic). Second, it drastically reduces the amount of time that the motorcyclist is on the road and exposed. Third, motorcyclists are more attentive (by necessity) when they are lane splitting then when they are not lane splitting. When motorcyclists lane split they have fewer accidents and fewer deaths.