Wearing a safety helmet while operating or riding on a motorcycle is a small action that can have a huge impact on how likely you are to suffer serious injury in a crash. On top of that, failing to wear a helmet may also get in the way of a civil claim over a motorcycle accident—even one that was entirely someone else’s fault.
Pennsylvania law is not as strict about helmet use as other states, and it’s worth knowing exactly what the law says about helmets before you go out for a ride. A skilled lawyer can explain the basics of Lewisburg motorcycle helmet laws during a free, no-obligation consultation.
Who’s Required to Wear a Motorcycle Helmet?
75 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes § 3525 addresses protective equipment for motorcycle riders in Lewisburg. According to subsection (a) of this statute, no person except for those exempted can operate or be a passenger on a motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle unless they have a safety helmet on that meets the standards set by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and has a “DOT Approved” sticker on it.
Subsection (b) of this statute states that no person can operate or ride on a motorcycle unless they are wearing eye protection of some kind, which can mean protective goggles, glasses, a face shield, or any other safety device approved by the DOT, usually including a visor attached to a DOT-approved safety helmet. If your motorcycle already has a windshield or screen installed on it that meets DOT standards, you may not be required to wear additional eye protection.
Exceptions to Motorcycle Helmet Laws
Four exceptions to the motorcycle helmet law in Lewisburg are outlined in subsection (d). First, if someone is operating or riding inside a three-wheeled motorcycle that has an enclosed cab, they are not required to wear a safety helmet while the motorcycle is in motion. This is the only exception listed in this subsection that also applies to the eye protection requirement.
Second, someone over 21 years of age who has had a valid motorcycle operator’s license for at least two years is not required to wear a motorcycle helmet while riding. Third, someone over 21 years of age who has completed a motorcycle safety course approved either by the DOT or by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is exempt from the helmet law.
Fourth and finally, any motorcycle passenger over the age of 21 is not required by law to wear a safety helmet. Regardless of their experience level, license status, or participation in a safety course, all motorcycle riders and passengers under 21 years of age are legally required to wear helmets while riding.
Failing to Follow Motorcycle Helmet Laws Might Affect a Lewisburg Accident Claim
Even if you’re not legally required to wear a motorcycle helmet while riding, it’s still a good idea to protect yourself both physically and legally. In fact, if a court finds that you could’ve avoided a serious injury in a wreck if you’d been wearing a helmet, it might hold it against you as comparative fault for your injuries, which could prevent you from recovering some or even all of the money you’d otherwise have had the right to.
Guidance from seasoned legal counsel can be key both to understanding Lewisburg motorcycle helmet laws and to making sure they don’t keep you from getting fair restitution after an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Learn more by calling Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today.
