Riding a motorcycle on the open road is exhilarating and can be fun. However, it can also be hazardous. There is little protection for motorcyclists when an accident occurs.
Louisiana has enacted numerous motorcycle laws to help keep motorcyclists safer. If you ride, you should know and abide by these laws to help protect yourself and stay legal.
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident caused by another party, you may have the right to recover compensation for your damages. However, insurance companies often blame the motorcyclist for the accident and deny or devalue the claim. You need an experienced motorcycle accident attorney to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Louisiana Motorcycle Laws You Need to Know
If you are going to ride a motorcycle in Louisiana, you should be aware of the laws in place to help protect you and reduce the chances of an accident.
Louisiana Motorcycle License Plates
Motorcycles are required to have a license plate just like other motor vehicles. When you purchase a bike, you have forty days to have it inspected by an approved repair shop and then to have it reinspected each year.
Louisiana Motorcycle Driving Endorsements
Just because you have a driver’s license to operate a car does not mean you have the right to operate a motorcycle. You need a Louisiana motorcycle endorsement on your license to show you can operate a bike.
Some states require you to have a separate license to operate a motorcycle. In Louisiana, your regular driver’s license can be used to show you have the right to operate a motorcycle. The endorsement on your license is shown by the letter “M.”
To receive the “M” endorsement, you must pass a knowledge and skills test, just as you do for your driver’s license to operate a car. To apply for a motorcycle endorsement, you must possess a valid Louisiana driver’s license or learner’s permit; then, you must achieve a score of at least 80 percent on your motorcycle knowledge and skills test to obtain the motorcycle endorsement.
If you complete a Department of Public Safety Motorcycle Safety, Awareness, and Operators Training Program, you may have the requirement of passing a knowledge and skills motorcycle test waived.
Participants of this training program must complete a five-hour online course before attending the training program riding session. You must register for the riding session at least two weeks before the course date and allow at least one week before the riding session to complete the online course.
Otherwise, you will need to pass both parts of the test. When you arrive to take your test, you should bring the motorcycle you will be operating to take the skills test. The bike you use for your skills test must have a valid lens plate, inspection sticker, and proof of insurance coverage.
Louisiana Motorcycle Insurance Coverage
Louisiana motorcyclists are required to have liability coverage. The minimum required amounts are $15,000 for bodily injury when one person is injured in an accident, $30,000 in bodily injury if an accident injures more than one person, and $25,000 in property coverage for each accident.
Note that these are only minimum requirements. Consider purchasing collision coverage to repair your bike if it is damaged in an accident. Comprehensive coverage is also advisable to cover your motorcycle if it is stolen, vandalized, or destroyed by fire or weather.
Another wise purchase is uninsured and underinsured coverage. This insurance coverage protects you if you are injured in an accident with a motorist who has no insurance or inadequate insurance to cover your damages.
Motorcyclist Eye Protection Law
Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:190.1 states:
“Eye protective devices to be worn by motorcyclist; windshield on motorcycle
- A. No person shall operate a motorcycle or motor driven cycle unless the person is wearing an eye protective device of a type approved for such use by the secretary, except when the motorcycle or motor driven cycle is equipped with a windshield of sufficient height to afford adequate eye protection that meets the requirements of R.S. 32:358.
- B. The secretary shall approve only goggles, face shields, or safety glasses which will meet performance specifications established by him.
- C. Eye protective devices used at night shall not be tinted.
- D. This Section shall not apply to persons riding within an enclosed cab.”
So, unless your bike’s windshield is high enough to protect your eyes, you must wear approved eye protection when operating it.
Louisiana Motorcycle Helmet Laws
Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:190 requires motorcycle drivers and passengers to wear approved safety helmets.
The helmets must be designed and manufactured for motorcycle riders and have proper lining, padding, a visor, and a chin strap. Riders must have the chin strap properly fastened when the motorcycle is in operation.
Louisiana Motorcycle Seats
Louisiana Revised Statutes 32:191 states that motorcycle drivers and passengers must sit in the permanent seat attached to the motorcycle. A driver cannot carry a passenger unless the seat is designed to hold another person. If the seat cannot accommodate two people, you must attach another seat on the rear or side of the bike if you want a passenger to ride with you.
Louisiana Laws About Riding With Children
If a child is required to be in a child safety seat when riding in a car, they cannot ride on a motorcycle. If the child no longer requires a child safety seat and is legally permitted to ride as a passenger, they must ride with a helmet of an appropriate size to fit their head securely.
No Lane Splitting in Louisiana
Lane splitting is when a motorcyclist rides between the lanes of traffic and is legal in certain states. However, Louisiana prohibits lane splitting except for police officers performing official duties.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Us Today
If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a motorcycle accident, you may have the right to recover compensation for your damages. At Chris Corzo Injury Attorneys, we have the experience, skills, and resources to help you recover maximum compensation for your injuries.
Call (225) 999-1111 or visit our contact page to schedule a free consultation to discuss your claim.