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Let's try this one: We are familiar with the wake of air behind a truck, moving with it, na? An air dam produces a similar wake, reducing the air speed seen by the rough undercarriage. It is like having a kammback that has an extension on the bottom that has been moved forward. If it is low enough it also lets a low-pressure area extend under the car, which reduces induced drag and helps cancel lift. With a splitter you force the flow up or down, but it will still try to follow the pattern you'd get with a simple rounded area which develops a stagnation point. It is nice to get that point at the vertical part of your curve, but not essential. Ideally, air going under should have the same surface speed as air going over, and be on an equally smooth surface. Unfortunately, the wheels have to intrude on the bottom, and there may be cooling openings too.
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