It’s always fun to go for a ride on a motorcycle, but it’s important to stay safe and to know the motorcycle laws in Hawaii before you start your ride. This article will tell you what you need to know about Hawaii motorcycle laws and give you a few safety tips.
Hawaii Motorcycle Laws and Regulations
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Motorcycle Requirements
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Reflectors
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Brake lights
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A headlamp
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A tail light
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A rearview mirror
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A braking system on your rear wheel
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A muffler
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A horn
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Rider/Passenger Requirements
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Riders and passengers that are under 18 must wear a helmet
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Riders and passengers must wear eye protection if no windshield is attached to the motorcycle
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You may not carry passengers under the age of seven
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If you carry a passenger, then your motorcycle must be designed to do so (this requires a passenger seat and footrests).
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Insurance Requirements
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$20,000 of bodily injury or death insurance coverage if one person was involved in a crash
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$40,000 of bodily injury or death insurance coverage if multiple people are involved in a crash
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$10,000 of property damage insurance coverage
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Safety Tips
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Prepare for a crash ahead of time.
Even the most experienced motorcycle riders crash every once in awhile. So, it is important to know what to do in case you do crash. Become familiar with your insurance policy, and rehearse what you will do if you are involved in a crash. Remember, when you crash the most important thing you can do is stay calm and get help if necessary. It would also be a good idea to learn basic first aid (like learning CPR) and keeping a first aid kit on your motorcycle if possible. -
Learn to ride your motorcycle from a professional or experienced rider.
Most motorcycle crashes occur very close to where the rider started his/her motorcycle because they lacked the skills needed to handle their motorcycle. You should make sure that you are comfortable riding your motorcycle before you use it regularly. The best way to do this, is to attend a motorcycle safety course to hone your skills and “break in” your motorcycle. It’s worth the time to learn how to ride from a teacher, especially when it could prevent a crash. -
Do not only carry the minimum amount of insurance.
There are many scenarios in which only carrying the minimum amount of insurance could leave you in a bad situation. You should consider adding these coverages to your policy:-
Comprehensive coverage. This will cover you for damages that do not result from a crash with another vehicle (theft, crashing into a lake, weather damage, etc.)
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Additional health and liability coverage. You never know what could happen on the road, and having the proper coverage to cover your own health and legal costs is a necessity.
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Uninsured motorist coverage. This will cover damages if your crash into someone who does not have insurance, or whose insurance carrier won’t cover your damages.
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