Helmet Laws Wallet Card Graphic

At a time of the year when many of you are going to travel across the USA, it is important that you know each State motorcycle helmet law. There are five different variations in motorcycle helmet requirements, from Free Choice (no helmet restrictions) to No Choice (everyone riding a motorcycle must wear a bike helmet).

Accident lawyers of Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. in Michigan created a State by State motorcycle Helmet Laws Infographic Map to visually display the helmet law requirements in every State.

The Motorcycle Helmet Law graphic also shows which states have the highest fines and maximum jail time for violating their bike helmet law. Georgia is toughest on violators with a $1,000 fine and 12 months of jail time, and Nevada comes in second with a $1,000 fine and a maximum six months of jail time…

This information is offered on a FREE wallet card to anyone, so that can always carry this information in your wallet while you ride.  To request a FREE wallet card, email helmetcard@gmail.com and type “Helmet Law” in the subject line. Just provide your mailing address and they will send it out right away. If you would like additional wallet cards to pass out to your chapter members or friends, feel free to request additional cards. Simply put the request in your email

27 Responses to “Helmet Laws Wallet Card Graphic”


  1. 1 Boomer May 15th, 2012 at 6:11 am

    Good info. Thanks!

  2. 2 Wolf May 15th, 2012 at 6:17 am

    Thanks for the info. Ordered one.

  3. 3 Oldude May 15th, 2012 at 7:05 am

    Thanks Buckfire and Buckfire of Michigan for this info. Needed for bike travellers.

  4. 4 GuitarSlinger May 15th, 2012 at 7:55 am

    By all means … don’t wear your helmet where its not required . Then you too can attain the inglorious status of becoming a ;

    DonorCyclist

    But please do remember to tick the Organ Donor box when renewing your Drivers License

  5. 5 Shaz May 15th, 2012 at 8:13 am

    this is cool, but there is an error…

    Vermont has a mandatory helmet law.

    @GuitarSlinger.. wear your helmet at all times and let those who ride decide…without ridicule

  6. 6 Lyle May 15th, 2012 at 8:29 am

    Neat idea but real dumb graphics. They could have made the map and information larger and left out the steriotypical drawing. Of course, anyone who’s plans a road trip researches where they are going first….

  7. 7 Zyon May 15th, 2012 at 8:39 am

    Lyle, I totally agree with you on this… also, you’d think layers would have thought about the legal liabilities of being wrong. If I spent 6 months in jail becuase this card was wrong, I’d have someone by the tail! I’m too lazy to look right now but if this card is wrong, someone is going to get ticketed for it!

  8. 8 izadore007 May 15th, 2012 at 8:58 am

    I was told if you got a $50 Head then wear a $50 Helmet. If you got $500 Head then wear a Top Shelf Helmet. I guess then a Person that does not wear a Helmet will surely not have a Head at all. Give your Survivors a Life, that they won’t have to take care of you for the rest of your Life.

  9. 9 Mike Greenwald May 15th, 2012 at 9:47 am

    Well shitfire, if it ain’t the Buckfire boys tellin’ y’all ’bout lid laws. Lemme see here, did they help write a real? Nope. Did they make any constitutional challenges? Ummm, nah, can’t say they did. Wella, well uh, where’s their skin in the game? Chasin’ ambulances?

    Izzy, your articulating helmet has a screw loose.

  10. 10 .357 Magnum May 15th, 2012 at 10:39 am

    izadore007, that “$50 head” rule of thumb is very useful for the simple-minded. I’m sure you’ll have no problem making yourself FEEL better by spending $500 on a racing helmet; what do they care about such economic concepts as “diminishing returns?”

    Others might be more interested in protecting their heads by learning how to ride skillfully and by increasing situational awareness and reducing risk factors such as drunkenness. But since it doesn’t make a kitschy, memorable rule of thumb, izadore007 probably won’t worry about those.

    We can, from that, assume that izadore007’s head is not worth a penny more than $500. Thanks for letting us know, iz!

  11. 11 Matt May 15th, 2012 at 10:45 am

    Hmm, looks like I will be heading west next trip.

  12. 12 Sid May 15th, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    @.357 Magnum – “..protecting their heads by learning how to ride skillfully and by increasing situational awareness and reducing risk factors…”

    what a self-contradicting load of b.s. Could be just as bad as the argument that helmets cause neck injuries.

  13. 13 Boomer May 16th, 2012 at 11:45 am

    As usual the safety Nazi’s have to chime in with their preaching. Can’t just take this for what it is and let it go at that.

  14. 14 Sid May 16th, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    @Boomer – this is comical : “…and reducing risk factors…” in the context of his point.

    hilariously fooling himself.

  15. 15 rebel May 16th, 2012 at 3:10 pm

    georgia’s law sucks, they were first with a helmet law and they’ll be last to get rid of it. and to all you A-HOLES looking out for my best intrest, thanks but no thanks.

  16. 16 Larry Buckfire May 16th, 2012 at 9:19 pm

    Glad that many of you like the infographic. We will publish a corrected version (Vermont) this week. Sorry for the error but I doubt anyone has gone to jail yet because of it. We actually do support ABATE and our staff attorney Dondi Vesprini is on the board of directors of Abate of Michigan. He helped lobby to change Michigan’s new no helmet law.

  17. 17 EJ May 17th, 2012 at 7:16 am

    I’m gonna do my own research for my road trips… just to be sure. But this is still a nifty little card to have in your wallet for when the topic comes up in conversation and you need / want a reference when away from the computer. Requested enough for my whole club… hope that’s OK.

  18. 18 CafeSportyTC May 17th, 2012 at 11:40 am

    my state is mandatory helmet wearing. Personally i wouldn’t get on a bike without one, but being the hypocrite i am, i wouldn’t wear a helmet while bicycling around. If you don’t a helmet and can legally get away without one , go for it. Personally I like my full face and i wouldn’t feel right without it. to each their own.

  19. 19 Sid May 17th, 2012 at 12:02 pm

    @rebel – I wasn’t looking out for your interest, but the people and the Emergency staff first on the scene to witness brain goo all over the road of an otherwise could-have-been harmless incident.

  20. 20 Dan May 17th, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    Gear is a choice. So whatever you choose- screw it, let’s ride!

  21. 21 Wiz May 20th, 2012 at 7:18 am

    The MOST important piece of Safety Equipment is not what’s ON your head, it’s what IN it! Wiz

  22. 22 Newyorkmyke May 21st, 2012 at 8:20 am

    Why do all these self righteous aholes always come with every reason they can think of to wear helmets when all we are talking about is laws. Is it so difficult to understand that we don’t care if you wear a helmet we just dont want to be FORCED by a govt to. I’m wearing my ff aria as I ride to DC for Memorial Day but NOT because I think it makes me safer but because it protects from elements at hi speed, especially. Btw every rider killed on his or her mc in California since the helmet law in 1992 was wearing a helmet! The more you jerks lobby for stuff the more stuff politicians and nanny law ninnys are going to force on us and the more socialist the govt gets the they will feel the right to mandate all kinds of stuff if they’re paying the Dr. bills. Just ride folks and be safe and stand up to big intrusive govt every chance you get. The helmet law is truly a line in the sand and the beginning of the end of our freedom and individual rights. When the ACLU takes up our cause I may start thinking they’re not the hypocrites they are and YOU may start to understand the difference between a helmet and law…….

  23. 23 Steve Roberts May 21st, 2012 at 10:09 am

    Thanks for making riding state to state a little easier.

  24. 24 Rick P May 21st, 2012 at 5:33 pm

    I’m all for protection, Its not like I wake up in the morning and think to myself( I want to die on my bike today), as a mater of fact, I like breathing, and from my bike. The best way to be safe is be aware of your sourndings, even if you have a helmet on or off ! I am planning a 6k trip to the east coast and back safe in one piece. Please just let the 4 wheelers be more aware of the motorcycles on the roads also helps a lot. I will have 2 helmets with me a half and full, then its my choice of what I wear not just which state I have to wear it ! Be Safe

  25. 25 Sara Brown May 21st, 2012 at 6:58 pm

    I wear a helmet regardless……otherwise my beautiful locks just end up like dreadlocks 🙂

  26. 26 Jeanne May 28th, 2012 at 10:14 am

    The day following the repeal of the helmet law my husband and I pull into the driveway of my girlfriend. In her presence he asks, “What would you think if I rode without my helmet.?”

    “It’s your choice,” I reply. He removes his helmet. (Married 31 years…you think you know someone.)
    We ride to another girlfriend’s house and the four of us ride out. He is still without his helmet. We all reach the splitting off point. My friends and I take off up north. My husband takes off to return home.
    That evening he suggests we ride to dinner. He still has no helmet. I am now really observing what this is doing to me.

    The next day I am coming into the drive as he is leaving. We both stop. I point to my helmet and say, “You need to go get your helmet.” He stops he bike, gets his helmet and hasn’t ridden without it since. WTF?

  27. 27 Joe the fed up NY'r Jul 8th, 2012 at 10:26 am

    I never respond to blogs but … GuitarSlinger – your very welcome to any of my body patrs that are left over .. izadore007 and Sid how are you guys, if need to wear a helmet to protect society from the aftermath of my supposed accident. I think it should be mandatory for you to wear a CONDOM (preferably made by goodyear) as the aftermath of your accident actually costs me a lot more in taxes than mopping my brains off the road – as your accidents education, now health care and more than likley welfare, because when ur accident becomes 18 it wont have a job to support itself oh wait i need to help to put it through colledge as well so — when its 23

    So to sum up i’ll shut up about you having kids and you can shut up about wearing helmets

    newyorkmke — i know your a true New yorker youve had enough of these people who have too much money and too much time to meddle into our live on a daily basis its worse in NY than i can ever remember == as of one month from now im’m leaving NY because of this reason good luck to you if your saying — I should have listened to the owner of the OBI so many years ago

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Cyril Huze