We Need to Know: Is It Legal to Ride a Bike Without a Helmet in New York?

Should you wear a helmet when riding a bicycle? Absolutely. You never know what may be laying on the ground in front of you, or what may jump into your way as you're riding along, that could cause you to fall off your bike.

That being said, does the law in New York require you to wear a helmet while riding a bike? We weren't sure, but with warm weather arriving soon, we were eager to learn more.

Here's what we found, via the law firm De Caro & Kaplen. As of 2007, New York state only prohibits cyclists under the age of 14 from riding without a helmet.

So, as long as you're 14 years of age and older, it is not against the law if you choose to ride your bike without a helmet. You can let your hair blow freely in the breeze, but are doing so at your own risk.

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That being said, there are THREE exceptions to this rule in the Empire State. They are:

• Erie County Parks: all ages are required to wear helmets
• Rockland County: all ages are required to wear helmets
• Greenburgh, NY: all ages are required to wear helmets

If you are living, or riding, in these areas, then the local law supersedes any state law, and you are required to wear a helmet regardless of age.

By my count, there are 12 states in the union, including our neighbor state Vermont, that do not have any state laws or local ordinances in place when it comes to wearing bike helmets. Meanwhile, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine all require those under the age of 16 to wear helmets, with no local ordinances to speak of.

Massachusetts and New Jersey both require people under the age of 17 to wear helmets when biking, in case you were curious.