Does Your State Require Motorcyclists to Wear a Helmet?
Despite the fact that helmets help prevent 37% of motorcycle deaths and 67% of brain injuries resulting from a crash, not every state requires motorcyclists to wear them. At The News Wheel, we recommend every motorcyclist wear a helmet to improve their safety. If you’re a motorcyclist, it’s important to know the laws about helmet and motorcycle safety. We’ve put together a list of each state’s helmet laws for licensed motorcyclists. Keep in mind that all helmets must meet the requirements set by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
States marked with an * have exceptions to the rule, listed on the last tab.
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[wptab name=”Required”]
States with Mandatory Helmet Laws
The following states require all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, regardless of age:
- Alabama
- California
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
[wptab name=”Under 21″]
States with Under 21 Restrictions
The following states require all motorcyclists under the age of 21 to wear a helmet:
- Arkansas
- Florida*
- Kentucky*
- Michigan*
- Pennsylvania*
- Rhode Island*
- South Carolina
- Texas*
- Utah
[wptab name=”Under 18″]
States with Under 18 Restrictions
The following states require all motorcyclists under the age of 18 to wear a helmet:
- Alaska*
- Arizona*
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware*
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kansas*
- Maine*
- Minnesota
- Montana
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma*
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
[wptab name=”No Laws”]
States with No Helmet Laws
The following states do not require motorcyclists to wear a helmet:
- Illinois
- Iowa
- New Hampshire
[wptab name=”Exceptions”]
Exceptions to the Rules
While most of the laws are state-wide, there are exceptions for the following states:
- Alaska: All passengers must wear a helmet, regardless of age.
- Arizona: All passengers must wear a helmet, regardless of age.
- Delaware: If you are under 19, you must wear a helmet. All motorcyclists must have a helmet with them, even if they’re not wearing it.
- Florida: If you are over 21, you can ride without a helmet if you have an insurance policy exceeding $20,000 in medical benefits.
- Kansas: If you are under 18, you must wear both a helmet and eye protection.
- Kentucky: If you have had your motorcycle license for less than a year, regardless of age, you must wear a helmet.
- Maine: If you have had your motorcycle license for less than a year, regardless of age, you must wear a helmet.
- Michigan: If you are over 21, you can ride without a helmet if you have an insurance policy exceeding $20,000 in medical benefits and have passed an approved safety course/had your license more than 2 years.
- Oklahoma: All passengers must wear a helmet, regardless of age.
- Pennsylvania: If you are over 21, you can ride without a helmet if you have 2 years of driving experience or you have completed an approved safety course.
- Rhode Island: If you have had your motorcycle license for less than a year, regardless of age, you must wear a helmet.
- Texas: If you are over 21, you can ride without a helmet if your insurance plan covers medical treatment for an accident.
[end_wptabset]
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Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, DMV
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.