Can you ride a motorcycle without a helmet in Missouri or Kansas? What the laws say
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says wearing a helmet is the single most effective way to protect yourself from head injury and death while riding a motorcycle.
It also recommends wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle or scooter.
In Missouri, 99 out of 123 motorcycle crashes in 2020 that resulted in death involved riders without a helmet, according to the NHTSA, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation that is focused on safety.
In Kansas, 27 out of 65 crashes that ended in death involved a rider not wearing a helmet.
As a safety practice, wearing a helmet is recommended whether the law requires it or not. And laws requiring helmet use vary by state.
The NHTSA reported in 2020 that helmet laws made a difference: In states without universal helmet laws, 57% percent of motorcyclists killed were not wearing helmets, compared to 11% in states with universal helmet laws.
Is it legal to ride without a helmet in Missouri or Kansas? Here’s what the laws in each state say:
Is it legal to ride without a helmet in Missouri?
Yes, if you are 26 or older.
Missouri statute 302.026, signed in 2020, repealed the state’s universal helmet law and says that motorcyclists ages 26 and older can ride without a helmet, if they have both medical insurance and proof of financial responsibility.
If you’re under the age of 26, you have to wear a helmet, no matter what your insurance or financial situation is.
The statute also says riders must be “covered by a health insurance policy or other form of insurance which will provide the person with medical benefits for injuries incurred as a result of an accident while operating or riding on a motorcycle or motortricycle.”
There are no laws in Missouri that require cyclists to wear helmets while biking, or moped users to wear helmets when riding on their scooters.
It is recommended that you do wear a helmet to prevent serious injury in case of an accident.
Is it legal to ride without a helmet in Kansas?
Yes, if you are 18 or older.
Kansas law allows people to ride motorcycles without a helmet at a younger age than in Missouri.
Kansas law requires that everyone less than 18 years old wear a U.S. Department of Transportation-approved helmet while riding a motorcycle or moped, according to Kansas Highway Patrol.
The Kansas law says, “No person under the age of 18 years shall operate or ride upon a motorcycle or a motorized bicycle, unless wearing a helmet which complies with minimum guidelines established by the national highway traffic safety administration pursuant to the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act of 1966 for helmets designed for use by motorcyclists and other motor vehicle users.”
Kansas law includes requirements for eye protection.
Kansas motorcyclists are required to wear eye protection unless their motorcycle has a windscreen that’s at least 10 inches high.
According to highway patrol, eye protection can be protective glasses, goggles or transparent face shields that are shatterproof and impact resistant. There is no age exception for motorcyclists wearing eye protection.
As in Missouri, there are no laws in Kansas that require cyclists to wear helmets while biking.
Here also, it is recommended that you do wear a helmet to prevent serious injury.
