States With Helmet Laws For Motorcycles – Motorcycle helmet laws for all riders have been proven to reduce deaths and injuries. More information on our main motorcycle page.
This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. Its accuracy is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Do not rely on this when considering how the law may apply to your situation.
States With Helmet Laws For Motorcycles
A moped defined by the state as having a displacement of 50 cc or less, a braking power of 1.5 or less and a top speed of 25 miles per hour
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Children under 18 and passengers under 18; novice motorcyclists and their passengers during the first two years after approval
A moped, defined by the state as a pedal bicycle or balance bicycle with two tandem wheels and less than 55 cc, or an electric motor with a power of 751 to 2,000 watts if the operator is 17 years of age or older.
A moped defined by the state as having an engine capacity of 50 cc or less, brake horsepower of 2 or less, and a top speed of 30 mph if the operator is 16 years of age or older.
A moped defined by the state as having a displacement of 50 cc or less, a brake horsepower of 2 or less, and a top speed of 30 mph
Nearly 80% Of Iowa Motorcycle Fatalities Have No Helmet
A moped, defined by the state as having an engine displacement of 50 cc or less, less than 2 brake horsepower and a top speed of 30 miles per hour
A moped defined by the state as having an engine displacement of 50 cc or less, 2 brake horsepower or less and a top speed of 30 miles per hour
A motorized bicycle defined by the state as having a stopping power of 1.5 or less and an unsupported top speed of 25 miles per hour; may have a pedal
A moped defined by the state as having a displacement of 50 cc or less and a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour if the operator is 19 years of age or older
Maine Helmet Laws
Motorcycles defined by the state as having an engine capacity of 50 cc or less, less than 3 brake horsepower, and a top speed of 30 miles per hour
A moped defined by the state as having 2 or less stopping power and an unsupported top speed of 30 miles per hour
A moped, defined by the state as having a displacement of less than 50 cc and a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour
A moped that is defined by the state as having a cylinder capacity of more than 35 cm3 but less than 150 cm3 or an electric motor with a power of more than 1000 W that is defined by the state as having a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3 but less, braking power of 2 or less and a top speed of 30 mph
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A three-wheeled motorcycle vehicle defined by the state as having removable sidecars, a seat, and handlebars or a steering system resembling a motorcycle
A motorcycle defined by the state as having an engine displacement of 50 cc or less, 2 brake horsepower or less and a top speed of 30 miles per hour
A moped defined by the state as having a displacement of 130 cc or less, a top speed of 30 miles per hour, and fully operable pedals
A moped defined by the state as having a displacement of 50 cc or less, a brake horsepower of 2 or less, and a maximum speed of 30 mph. Mandatory helmet laws in the US. The 50 states have a mix of very different helmet laws. Let’s explain this.
Mandatory Helmet Laws Across The U.s
Helmet regulations are a sticking point for many riders. With no national law specifying whether helmets are required (despite the CDC’s efforts), we’re left with a seemingly random collection of regulations that vary depending on the state you’re in. If you’re wearing a helmet, you’re always covered (literally and figuratively), but if you like to feel the wind in your hair, it’s hard to know where you can and can’t legally do so. Let’s explain this.
Some argue that every cyclist, everywhere, should be required to wear a helmet for their own safety and to reduce the burden on our health care system. Others say helmets are fine, but everyone should have the right to decide whether to wear them or not. Still others say there should be no regulation of helmets. When I lived on the border between Massachusetts (a state with universal helmet laws) and New Hampshire (no helmet laws), I always saw motorcycles stop at the state line. Northbound riders took their helmets off and southbound riders put them on. If you decide to remove your brain bucket, you need to know where Johnny Law will let you do it.
Helmet laws fall into four general categories: mandatory for everyone, mandatory for everyone under 21, mandatory for everyone under 18, and not mandatory at all. Many states have specific rules regarding passengers, engines under 50cc, or the amount of health insurance a driver must have to ride without a helmet. Here’s a list of people who must wear a helmet, in alphabetical order by state.
Some may be surprised to learn that only 19 states and Washington DC have universal helmet laws. Older cyclists may be especially surprised because in 1967, the federal government required states to pass helmet laws to comply with certain federal safety programs and highway construction. Almost all states had similar laws in the early 1970s, but during the decade states succeeded in preventing the Department of Transportation from defunding helmet laws.
Does A Helmet Improve Survival In A Motorcycle Crash?
However, only three states—Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire—do not have helmet laws. Many states have laws requiring young passengers (and in Colorado, young passengers) to wear a helmet.
Some states require riders to carry minimum health insurance to ride without a helmet. Qualifications vary from state to state and are constantly changing. For example, Texas currently prohibits law enforcement from stopping a motorcyclist without a helmet solely to check whether his insurance is up to date, but the state is trying to change that.
For this list, we received information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which maintains an up-to-date list of helmet regulations on its website. If you’re driving across several states and want to walk, check this list before you go so you know where you can and can’t legally do so, at least for this week until the laws change again. Only 19 US states have a universal helmet law [1] requiring ALL motorcyclists to wear a helmet. 28 states have partial laws requiring helmet use by a certain age, while 3 states have no laws requiring helmet use.
The map below shows the number of lives saved by wearing a helmet per 100,000 registered motorcyclists in each state [2]. There is a clear correlation between the number of people saved and state helmet laws.
How To Choose The Best Motorcycle Helmet Speakers For Your Riding Needs
States with universal helmet laws save 8 times more motorcycle lives per 100,000 motorcycle registrations each year than states without helmet laws and 3 times more than states with helmet laws.
In 2000, Florida repealed the universal helmet law, eliminating the requirement except for motorcyclists under the age of 21 who have less than $10,000 in health insurance benefits.
In the 30 months preceding the repeal, there were 35 deaths of cyclists under the age of 21, and 101 in the 30 months following, an increase of 188%.
Attorneys Shana DeCaro and Michael Kaplan, the founders of our firm, have successfully represented victims of motorcycle accidents for over 40 years. Shana and Michael are nationally recognized experts who are frequently asked to comment on legal issues, particularly brain injury. Their insights have been featured in popular media outlets such as
Motorcycle Helmet Use Laws
And CBS News. Michael is the past chair of the American Justice Association’s Automobile Accident and Liability Section. Shana serves on the Board of Directors of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. Both are respected by their peers for their knowledge and expertise.
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