Other than those riding on instructional permits and those who have motorcycle license but are under the age of 21, there is no helmet requirement in Kentucky.
Motorcycle helmet laws can be confusing when you’re on the road and traveling from state to state. Kentucky law clears helmet laws up though. There are certain riders that are still required to wear them. Before 1998, anybody on a motorcycle was required to wear a helmet. That law was repealed though. Here’s how Kentucky law currently stands on the helmet law issue. There are three different categories of riders:
Instructional Permit
Those who have only an instructional permit and no actual motorcycle license. are required to wear a helmet. The rationale behind this law is quite simple. Those are the riders who are far more likely to get into an accident.
21 and Under in Kentucky
Any motorcyclist under the age of 21 and their passengers are required to wear a Department of Transportation approved helmet. If the operator is under the age of 21, but the passenger is over the age of 21, that passenger must still wear a helmet. That law also applies to motorcycle operators who have had their license for less than a year, regardless of age.
No Helmet
Other than those riding on instructional permits and those who have motorcycle license but are under the age of 21, there is no helmet requirement in Kentucky. Traffic safety specialists strongly recommend them though. Kentucky’s helmet laws are laid out in Chapter 189 section 189.285 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes.
Helmets Reduce Fatalities
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 5,500 motorcyclists died in accidents in 2020, and another 180,000 were treated at emergency rooms for injuries. As per the CDC, motorcyclists wearing a helmet during an accident reduce their chances of a fatality by 37%. More than 800 of those who died would have been saved by wearing a helmet. They might even recover for their damages and losses suffered in a motorcycle accident. Kentucky is only one of three states without helmet laws for people over the age of 21. The other two states are New Hampshire and Illinois.
In 2021, there were a reported 1,491 motorcycle accidents in the state of Kentucky, 93 of which were fatal. If you’re over 21 in Kentucky and have a motorcycle license, riding without a helmet is your choice. It might not be the best one though.
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