Does Georgia have motorcycle helmet laws?

| Aug 23, 2019 | Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents |

There are many reasons to love riding a motorcycle in the state of Georgia, but the reality of the situation is that it is a dangerous pastime. No matter how many precautions you take before you let the rubber hit the road, it is possible that something unforeseen will happen and you end up tumbling off the bike. It is true that different states have different laws surrounding wearing motorcycle helmets, but the law in Georgia is very clear: according to the state of Georgia, you must wear a helmet while operating a motorcycle, provided that motorcycle does not fall under one of the exclusions.

Unlike other states, there is no exception to the motorcycle helmet law depending on age or amount of insurance that the motorcycle operator holds. The only exception involves the type of vehicle in operation. According to the statute, if you are operating a vehicle with an enclosed cab or a motorized cart, you do not need to wear a helmet. Additionally, three-wheeled vehicles that are only being used for the purpose of agriculture also do not require a helmet. Again, the loophole for exceptions in Georgia is relatively small.

Interestingly enough, the helmet law in Georgia has remained unchanged since 1969. There was a period of time where the federal government did require all states to have a helmet law, but Congress found that it was unconstitutional to assess penalties on individual states for this. Most states nowadays do have some sort of helmet law, other than Iowa, Illinois, and New Hampshire. These states do not require helmets.

Wearing helmets not only makes riding a motorcycle statistically safer, it is also law in the state of Georgia.