Oregon Motorcycle Helmet Laws
Under Oregon law, all motorcyclists and motorcyclist passengers must wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle, regardless of age.
Written by Lindsey Hoover
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Under
Oregon
law, any motorcyclist must wear a helmet when operating a motorcycle. All motorcycle passengers must wear a helmet as well.RECOMMENDED
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Do you have to wear a motorcycle helmet in Oregon?
All motorcyclists and motorcyclist passengers, regardless of age, must wear a motorcycle helmet while riding a motorcycle in Oregon.
Failure to comply with Oregon’s motorcycle law comes with a hefty fine. More on that, in detail, below.
Exceptions to Oregon’s motorcycle helmet law
In Oregon, there are a few exemptions when it comes to motorcycle helmet laws. A person is not in violation of the law if they are:
- Within an enclosed cab
- Operating or traveling in a vehicle designed to travel with three wheels in contact with the ground at a speed of less than 15 miles per hour
While mopeds are not motorcycles, in Oregon you must wear a helmet while operating one. Ignoring this important safety law could come with a steep penalty.
Penalties for breaking Oregon’s motorcycle helmet law
In Oregon, failure to comply with the motorcycle helmet law is considered a Class D traffic violation. If you decide to forgo a helmet, you’re looking at a minimum fine of $115 and risking a maximum fine of $250.
Another thing to keep in mind before cruising the roads on your two-wheeler is a driver’s permit. Under Oregon law, all motorcyclists must have a
motorcycle endorsement
. Without one, you’re looking at more ways to bruise your wallet.Why it’s important to wear a motorcycle helmet
While Oregon’s $115 fine may not intimidate you, you should consider other possible consequences of forgoing head protection. We’ll take a deeper look into the history of motorcycle helmets and review some recent motorcycle accident statistics so that you’re well informed on the real cost of hitting the streets without a helmet.
In 1935, a British army officer and diplomat by the name of T.E. Lawrence, better known as “Lawrence of Arabia,” died at just 46 years old
as the result of a motorcycle accident
. This high-profile motorcycle fatality caused neurologist Hugh Cairns to launch a research campaign on motorcycle helmets. His aim was to prevent deaths like Lawrence’s from happening to others.According to estimates from the NHTSA, U.S. motorcycle helmet laws save hundreds of lives a year. In those states without helmet laws, as many as 57% of motorcyclists killed on the road were not wearing a helmet. Compare that to the 9% of unhelmeted riders in states with helmet laws.
Oregon is no exception to the statistics. In 2019 alone, unhelmeted riders made up 15% of Oregon’s
591 motorcyclist fatalities
. Wearing a motorcycle helmet is the best way to protect yourself from becoming a negative statistic. “When I started shopping for insurance for my new car, the estimates I received were around $150.Jerryfound me full-coverage insurance for $102. This is NOT a joke!” —Auden D.
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