According to Minnesota law, any motorcyclist under the age of 18 must wear a Department of Transportation approved helmet. Additionally, any rider learning to use a motorcycle is required to wear a helmet on the road.
In 2019, motorcycle accidents accounted for 14% of all traffic fatalities in the United States according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). To reduce the number of traffic fatalities resulting from motorcycle accidents, many states have instituted laws that require motorcyclists to wear helmets.
Do you have to wear a motorcycle helmet in Minnesota?
If you’re under the age of 18, you must wear a helmet while riding your motorcycle. Anyone learning to use a motorcycle must also wear a helmet until they’re officially licensed.
In addition, all helmets must be approved by the Department of Transportation in Minnesota.
Of course, once you’re older than 18 years old, you can choose whether you’d like to wear a helmet or not.
Exceptions to Minnesota’s motorcycle helmet law
The
only exception
to Minnesota’s helmet law is that
riders under the age of 18 may use their motorcycles without a helmet while participating in a parade.
However, those who wish to disregard the helmet laws must get a permit from their local government. Otherwise, they may still face fines and citations for failure to comply with the law.
Penalties for breaking Minnesota’s motorcycle helmet law
Failing to comply with Minnesota’s helmet law is a
minor offense.
While there are
no set penalties
for breaking the helmet laws, violators
may face fines
if they’re caught.
In 2016, more than
1,850 motorcyclists were saved by wearing helmets
. The CDC specifically states that
802 more lives could have been saved
if the drivers had chosen to wear helmets.
The NHTSA claims that
helmets mitigate motorcycle fatalities and injuries by 37%
and
69%
, respectively. That said, motorcycle laws prevent hundreds of fatalities each year in the United States.
戴着头盔可能并不总是方便,comfortable, or even required, but they’re one of the best preventative measures you can take against motorcycle injuries and fatalities. As a general rule, motorcyclists should try to wear a helmet every time they hit the road.