Motorcycle Accident
51 guides on motorcycle accident for car accident victims.
Motorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in the District of Columbia
DC's helmet law is universal and specific down to eye protection and passenger seating, while lane splitting sits in a legal gap neither Maryland nor Virginia leaves open. Here's what that means if you're hurt in a crash.
7 min readWyomingMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Wyoming
Wyoming requires helmets only for riders under 18 and bans lane-splitting statewide, though two motorcycles may ride abreast in one lane by mutual consent. Here's what a violation costs and how it can affect an injury claim.
6 min readWisconsinMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Wisconsin
Wisconsin's helmet law is optional for adult riders, and there's no statute naming lane splitting at all. Here's what the actual statutes require, and how they affect an injury claim.
7 min readUtahMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Utah
Utah only requires helmets for riders under 21, and it allows limited lane filtering, not full lane splitting, under a law that's set to expire in 2027 unless lawmakers extend it again.
5 min readWashingtonMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Washington
Washington mandates a DOT-compliant helmet for every rider and passenger and bans lane splitting and filtering outright under RCW 46.61.608, no exceptions for stopped traffic.
6 min readWest VirginiaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in West Virginia
West Virginia has a universal helmet law with no adult exemption and treats lane splitting as illegal under its single-lane statute, though a 2026 bill would spell out a specific ban and penalties.
6 min readVirginiaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Virginia
Virginia requires a DOT-compliant helmet for every rider and passenger, and lane splitting is illegal under two separate statutes, not just an unwritten rule of the road.
6 min readVermontMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Vermont
Vermont requires every rider, of every age, to wear DOT-approved headgear, and it bans lane splitting outright with no two-abreast exception. Here's what the statutes and fine schedule actually say, and what they mean if you're hurt in a crash.
6 min readTennesseeMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Tennessee
Tennessee's helmet law covers every rider regardless of age, and lane splitting is flatly illegal, though riding two abreast in one lane is allowed. Here's what the statutes actually say, what they cost you if you break them, and how they can affect a crash claim.
6 min readTexasMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Texas
Texas mandates helmets only for riders and passengers under 21, and since September 2023 lane splitting and lane filtering are illegal statewide under Transportation Code Section 545.0605. Here's exactly how the exemptions, penalties, and enforcement quirks work.
6 min readOhioMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Ohio
Ohio's helmet law covers only minors, novice riders, and permit holders, and lane splitting stays illegal statewide under current law. A 2026 bill, HB 776, would legalize narrow lane filtering but hasn't passed.
7 min readSouth DakotaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in South Dakota
South Dakota's helmet law stops at age 18, but its lane-splitting ban has no age limit and no exceptions. Here's what the statutes, penalties, and the state's own 2024 crash data actually say.
6 min readSouth CarolinaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in South Carolina
South Carolina only requires helmets for riders and passengers under 21, and it bans lane-splitting outright at any age. Here's how those rules work, what they cost to break, and how they collide with a real injury claim.
6 min readOregonMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Oregon
Oregon requires a DOT-compliant helmet for every rider and passenger, and still bans lane splitting under ORS 814.240 despite repeated attempts to legalize it.
6 min readNorth DakotaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in North Dakota
North Dakota requires helmets only for riders and passengers under 18 and bans lane splitting outright. The state's no-fault insurance system also doesn't apply to motorcycles the way it applies to cars.
6 min readPennsylvaniaMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania only requires helmets for some riders and bans lane splitting outright. Both rules can quietly change what an injured motorcyclist is able to recover.
6 min readRhode IslandMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's helmet law only covers operators under 21, first-year riders, and passengers, and lane splitting is illegal. Here are the exact statutes, fines, and deadlines.
6 min readNew JerseyMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in New Jersey
New Jersey's helmet law covers every rider and passenger, and the state gives motorcycles no room to split or share a lane. Here's what the statutes require and how they shape a crash claim.
6 min readOklahomaMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Oklahoma
Oklahoma only makes riders under 18 wear a helmet, but lane splitting is illegal statewide. Here is what the statutes say and why it matters after a crash.
6 min readMississippiMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Mississippi
Mississippi requires a helmet for every rider and treats lane-splitting as illegal. Here's what the statutes say and how a missing helmet can affect what your injury claim is worth.
6 min readNew MexicoMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in New Mexico
In New Mexico, helmets are mandatory only for riders under 18 and lane splitting is illegal. Here is what the statutes actually say, plus the helmet rule that quietly protects your injury claim.
6 min readNew YorkMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in New York
New York requires a DOT-compliant helmet for every rider and bans lane splitting outright. Here's what the statutes say and how a helmet or lane-position issue can cut your crash recovery.
6 min readNorth CarolinaMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in North Carolina
North Carolina mandates helmets for all motorcycle and moped riders and does not allow lane splitting or filtering. Here are the exact statutes, penalties, and injury-claim deadlines.
6 min readNew HampshireMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in New Hampshire
New Hampshire only requires motorcycle helmets for riders under 18, and lane splitting is illegal for everyone. Here is exactly what the statutes say, and how your gear choice can affect a crash claim.
6 min readNevadaMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Nevada
Nevada makes helmets mandatory for every rider and passenger and bans lane splitting outright. Here's what the statutes require and how a helmet or lane-splitting violation can change a Nevada crash claim.
6 min readMassachusettsMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a universal helmet law and bans lane splitting, and both rules can change what an injured rider recovers. A plain-language look at the statutes, insurance quirks, and deadlines that matter after a motorcycle crash.
6 min readMontanaMotorcycle helmet and lane-filtering laws in Montana
Montana lets adults ride without a helmet and allows limited lane filtering, but not full lane splitting. Here are the exact statutes, speed limits, and injury deadlines that apply in Montana.
6 min readNebraskaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Nebraska
Nebraska still requires a DOT helmet by default, but a 2024 law lets some trained riders skip it, and lane-splitting stays illegal. Here is what the statutes actually say in 2026.
6 min readMissouriMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Missouri
Missouri requires helmets for riders under 26 and for permit holders, lets some adults ride without one only if they carry the right insurance, and treats lane splitting as an illegal traffic violation. Here's what the statutes actually say.
6 min readMichiganMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Michigan
Michigan repealed its universal motorcycle helmet law in 2012 and outlaws lane splitting. Here's what the statutes require now, plus the no-fault insurance twist that surprises injured riders.
6 min readMinnesotaMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Minnesota
Minnesota only requires helmets for riders under 18, and it legalized lane splitting and filtering on July 1, 2025. Here are the exact rules, speed limits, and the no-fault twist that changes how injured riders get paid.
6 min readMarylandMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Maryland
Maryland is a universal-helmet state where lane-splitting is illegal and contributory negligence still applies. Here's what each rule means if a driver hit you.
6 min readMaineMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Maine
Maine requires helmets for only four groups of riders and bans lane-splitting outright. Here's what the statutes say, and how helmet use and lane position can change what you recover after a crash.
6 min readLouisianaMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Louisiana
Louisiana requires helmets for every rider and makes lane splitting illegal, both by statute. Here is what the rules say and how a violation can change a motorcycle injury claim.
6 min readIowaMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Iowa
Iowa is one of three states with no motorcycle helmet law, and it bans both lane splitting and lane filtering. Here's what the current Iowa Code says about the rules, penalties, and deadlines that matter after a crash.
7 min readKentuckyMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Kentucky
Kentucky is a partial-helmet state with no lane-splitting statute. Here's exactly who must wear a helmet, the eye-protection rule most riders miss, and how it plays into a crash claim.
6 min readIllinoisMotorcycle Helmet and Lane-Splitting Laws in Illinois
Illinois requires no motorcycle helmet, mandates eye protection, and bars lane splitting. Here are the exact Illinois statutes, deadlines, and crash numbers that decide what a claim is worth.
6 min readArkansasMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Arkansas
Arkansas only requires motorcycle helmets for riders under 21, but eye protection is mandatory at every age and lane splitting is illegal statewide. Here is what the law says and how it shapes an injury claim.
6 min readFloridaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Florida
Florida lets many adults ride without a helmet, but only with the right coverage, and lane-splitting is illegal statewide. Here's what the statutes say and how the rules affect a crash claim.
6 min readGeorgiaMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Georgia
Georgia is a universal-helmet state that bans lane splitting. Here are the exact rules under O.C.G.A. 40-6-315 and 40-6-312, the penalties, and what Georgia crash data actually shows.
6 min readKansasMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Kansas
Kansas only requires helmets for riders under 18, but eye protection is mandatory for every operator and lane splitting is illegal statewide. Here is what the statutes mean for your injury claim.
6 min readIdahoMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Idaho
Idaho requires motorcycle helmets only for riders under 18, and lane splitting, filtering, and sharing are all illegal statewide. Here are the exact statutes, deadlines, and crash-claim rules riders need.
6 min readHawaiiMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Hawaii
In Hawaii, only motorcyclists under 18 must wear a helmet, and lane-splitting is illegal. The bigger surprise for injured riders is that no-fault PIP usually won't pay their medical bills.
6 min readConnecticutMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Connecticut
In Connecticut, only motorcycle operators and passengers under 18 must wear a helmet, and lane splitting is an infraction. Here are the exact statutes, fines, and deadlines that shape a rider's injury claim.
6 min readIndianaMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Indiana
Indiana requires helmets only for riders under 18 and bans lane splitting outright. Here is what the statutes actually say, and how they shape a crash claim.
6 min readColoradoMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Colorado
Colorado only requires helmets for riders under 18, and lane filtering became legal in 2024 under narrow, temporary conditions. Here's what both rules mean if you've been in a motorcycle crash.
6 min readDelawareMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Delaware
Delaware only requires helmets for riders under 19 and for anyone in their first two years after getting an endorsement. Here is what the statute says, where lane splitting stands, and how a helmet decision affects an injury claim.
6 min readAlabamaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Alabama
Alabama requires every rider and passenger to wear an approved helmet, and lane splitting is illegal statewide. Here is what the statutes actually say in 2026, and how those rules can decide a crash claim.
6 min readCaliforniaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in California
California mandates a helmet for every rider and is the only state to authorize lane-splitting by statute. Here are the exact Vehicle Code rules, the speeds the research supports, and how both affect a crash claim.
6 min readAlaskaMotorcycle helmet and lane-splitting laws in Alaska
In Alaska, a licensed adult can legally ride without a helmet, yet lane splitting is illegal statewide. Here's what the statutes actually say, and how those rules shape a crash claim.
6 min readArizonaMotorcycle Helmet & Lane-Splitting Laws in Arizona
Arizona only requires helmets for riders under 18, and it legalized narrow lane filtering in 2022. Here is what the statutes actually say, and how those rules affect your claim if a car hit you.
6 min read