Riding a motorcycle is a lovely thing. Cars are great, don’t get me wrong, but there’s something that is just fantastic about being so deeply connected with the world you’re passing through. Let me say this right off the bat, though: if you ride your motorcycle without a helmet, you are an irredeemable dummy. No, I don’t care if it’s legal or you’re worried about messing up your hair. If you ride on a motorcycle and don’t protect your brain, you’re making a pact with your creator when things go sideways. With that being said, some states like to play it fast and loose with the safety of their motorcycle-riding public.
Because of that, it can be confusing to know when it’s OK to put your brain at risk on a hog and when it’s not. Don’t worry, Jalopnik has you covered. We’re breaking down which states make you wear a helmet on a motorcycle, which states don’t, and everything in between.
States where you don’t have to wear a helmet
This is a small, “freedom-loving” list:
- New Hampshire
- Illinois
- Iowa
That’s it. Those are the only states where you don’t have to wear a helmet without exception. Oddly, both Iowa and Illinois had laws on the books requiring helmets, but they were repealed in 1976 and 1970, respectively, according to Steel Horse Law.
States where everyone needs to wear a helmet
As you may have guessed, this is a much longer list:
- Alabama
- California
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- Nebrask
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- WashingtonÂ
- West Virginia
In these states, if you’re on a motorcycle you’d better have a helmet on, regardless of age. For whatever reason, most of these states are on either coast. I wonder what that’s about.
States with age restrictions
At this point, eagle-eyed readers have probably realized that we haven’t listed all 50 states yet. Well, that’s because there’s a secret third category: states with age restrictions. Basically, there’s a whole slew of states that think young folks are worth saving, but once you’re over a certain age, you should get to decide if your brain turns to mush. Here’s what we’re working with:
Riders 25 and under need a helmet:
Riders 20 and under need a helmet:
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Kentucky
- Michigan
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Utah
Riders 18 and under need a helmet:
Riders 17 and under need a helmet:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Maine
- Minnesota
- Montana
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Ohio
