Georgia Motorcycle Helmet Laws

Under Georgia law, you must wear a helmet at all times, regardless of age or what health insurance you carry.
Written by Michelle Ballestrasse
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
background
Georgia
’s motorcycle helmet laws state that all riders must wear an approved helmet, regardless of their age. In addition, if the motorcycle does not have a windshield, all riders must wear protective eyewear.
Motorcycle accidents have been a major cause of traffic fatalities since they first hit the road. Over 14% of all traffic deaths in 2019 were attributed to motorcycle accidents, according to the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
. In response to this continuing trend, states have passed a number of safety laws to help mitigate injury and death, particularly laws that focus on helmet wear.
If you’re curious about Georgia’s motorcycle helmet law, car insurance comparison app
Jerry
is on the job. We’ve compiled the following guide to help you fully understand the Peach State’s approach to motorcycle helmet laws, as well as the statistics that make them necessary.
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Do you have to wear a motorcycle helmet in Georgia?

No matter how old you are, you must wear a helmet while riding or operating a motorcycle in Georgia.
It doesn’t matter if you carry
health insurance
, have been riding for decades, or if you’re only going up the street—all riders must wear a motorcycle helmet, with no exceptions.

Exceptions to Georgia’s motorcycle helmet law

Georgia’s motorcycle helmet laws have seen little change since their enactment in 1969. The state’s laws are also one of the few in the country that do not offer exemptions for age, experience level, or most other reasons.
But there are a few exceptions for specialized vehicles in the motorcycle category, including:
  • Riders in enclosed cabs 
  • Riders of motorized carts
  • Operators of three-wheeled motorcycles used for agricultural purposes only
  • Operators of mopeds with engine displacement of 50 cc or less, brake horsepower of 2 or less, and maximum speed of 30 mph.

Penalties for breaking Georgia’s motorcycle helmet law

Failure to comply with the Georgia motorcycle helmet law will result in a $1,000 fine, up to one year in jail, and/or community service

Why it’s important to wear a motorcycle helmet

Don’t let potential fines and jail time be the only thing that puts you off of riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Riding without a helmet can be extremely dangerous, particularly because a motorcycle doesn’t have the benefit of seatbelts or a metal shell to take the impact of a collision—instead, riders feel it full force. 
It’s estimated by the
NHTSA
that hundreds of lives are saved thanks to motorcycle helmets and the laws mandating them every year. States that have adopted universal motorcycle helmet laws typically see only 9% of unhelmeted motorcyclists killed in traffic fatalities versus 57% in states that don’t have laws of this type. 
Georgia exemplifies that statistic. In 2019, only 9% of motorcyclists killed on the road were unhelmeted. 

How to find affordable car and motorcycle insurance

A helmet is the quickest, easiest, and most worthwhile investment you can make as a motorcyclist. It helps protect you from pricy fines, potential jail time, and of course, serious injury or death. In turn, the best way to protect your motorcycle is with great insurance. Turn to
Jerry
for second-to-none service and savings! 
As a fully licensed insurance brokerage app, Jerry has the power to scan quotes from over 50 top insurance companies in just 45 seconds. So say goodbye to meticulously filling out forms one company at a time, waiting for quotes to arrive, and painstakingly comparing them to find the best rates. 
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found me useful quotes immediately, so I switched over my insurance in under an hour! I’m now helping my parents use Jerry because they just bought a new car.” —Brindi J.
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