Motorcycles are subject to the same traffic laws as any other motor vehicle — and in many states, additional requirements specific to riders, like helmet laws and lane usage rules. When you violate those laws, the consequences go beyond the immediate fine or citation. They can affect your driving record, your insurance rates, and in serious cases, your ability to ride legally at all.
Here’s what motorcycle riders need to know about safety violations, how they impact insurance, and what you can do to protect yourself.
Common Motorcycle Safety Violations
Speeding
Speeding is the most common moving violation for all drivers, and it hits motorcycle riders particularly hard on insurance. A single speeding ticket can raise your motorcycle insurance premium by 20–30% at renewal. Multiple tickets in a short window can make you uninsurable through standard carriers and push you into the non-standard (high-risk) market.
Riding Without a Helmet (Where Required)
Georgia, Alabama, and most Southern states require all motorcycle riders to wear helmets. Florida requires helmets for riders under 21. Riding without one where it’s required is a citable offense that goes on your driving record.
Lane Splitting
Lane splitting — riding between lanes of slow or stopped traffic — is illegal in most states, including Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Texas, and South Carolina. A citation for lane splitting goes on your record and can affect your insurance rate.
Reckless Driving
Reckless driving charges are among the most serious non-criminal violations a motorcycle rider can face. Unlike a standard speeding ticket, reckless driving typically carries:
- Higher fines
- Potential license suspension
- Significant insurance rate increases (often 50–100%+)
- Possible requirement to file an SR-22
DUI/DWI on a Motorcycle
A DUI or DWI on a motorcycle carries the same legal penalties as a DUI in a car — and the same insurance consequences. Expect your premium to roughly double, an SR-22 requirement, and in most states a mandatory license suspension.
Riding Without Insurance
In every state, riding an unregistered or uninsured motorcycle on public roads is illegal. If you’re caught, you could face fines, license suspension, vehicle impoundment, and — when you do get insured — significantly higher rates due to the lapse on your record.
How Violations Affect Your Motorcycle Insurance
Rate Increases
Your insurer reviews your driving record when you apply for a new policy and at each renewal. Any moving violations on your record — speeding, reckless driving, DUI — will almost certainly trigger a rate increase. The more serious or recent the violation, the bigger the increase.
Minor violations like a single speeding ticket typically stay on your record for 3 years. More serious violations like DUI can affect your rates for 5–7 years.
Policy Cancellation
If you accumulate enough violations, your insurer may choose not to renew your policy at the end of the term. This doesn’t happen for a single ticket, but multiple violations in a short period — or a single serious offense — can make you a risk the carrier isn’t willing to keep.
If your policy is cancelled or non-renewed, you’ll need to find coverage elsewhere, usually through a non-standard or high-risk carrier at a significantly higher premium.
SR-22 Requirements
An SR-22 is not an insurance policy — it’s a certificate filed by your insurance company with the state, verifying that you carry at least the minimum required coverage. States typically require an SR-22 after:
- A DUI or DWI conviction
- Riding without insurance
- Serious reckless driving charges
- Accumulating too many points on your license
The SR-22 requirement typically lasts 3 years. During that period, if your policy ever lapses — even for one day — your insurer is required to notify the state, which can result in immediate license suspension.
Not all insurance carriers file SR-22s. If you need one, you’ll need to specifically confirm your carrier handles it before purchasing a policy.
What to Do After a Motorcycle Violation
1. Don’t ignore the citation. Unpaid tickets escalate quickly — to warrants, license suspensions, and additional fines. Resolve every citation as quickly as possible.
2. Consider a defensive driving or motorcycle safety course. In many states, completing an approved course can get a minor violation dismissed before it reaches your insurance record. Even when it can’t get the violation dismissed, completing a course often qualifies you for a discount that offsets some of the rate increase.
3. Call your insurer before they call you. Proactively discussing a violation with your agent lets you understand the impact before renewal and explore your options — including whether a telematics program or other discount could help offset the increase.
4. Shop around at renewal. Different carriers weight violations differently. A violation that causes a large increase with one carrier might have a smaller impact with another. If your rate goes up significantly, comparison shopping at renewal is one of the most effective ways to find a better price.
5. If you need an SR-22, say so upfront. Not every carrier files them. Being upfront about your SR-22 requirement saves time and ensures your coverage actually meets the state’s legal requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Motorcycle Violations and Insurance
How long does a motorcycle violation stay on my insurance record?
Most minor violations like speeding tickets stay on your driving record for 3 years in Georgia and most other Southern states. More serious violations like DUI or reckless driving can affect your record and insurance rates for 5–7 years. It’s worth noting that even after a violation drops off your driving record, some insurers look back further when calculating rates. If you’re shopping for a new policy, always ask specifically how far back the carrier reviews your history — some go 3 years, others go 5.
Will one speeding ticket cancel my motorcycle insurance?
Not typically. A single minor violation rarely causes cancellation, but it will likely trigger a rate increase at renewal. Multiple violations or a single serious offense like DUI are more likely to result in non-renewal.
How much will my motorcycle insurance go up after a violation?
It depends on the severity. A minor speeding ticket typically raises rates 20–30%. Reckless driving can cause 50–100%+ increases. A DUI often doubles or more than doubles your premium and triggers an SR-22 requirement.
Can I get motorcycle insurance with a DUI on my record?
Yes, but through a non-standard or high-risk carrier, and at a significantly higher premium. Budget Insurance Agency works with carriers that cover high-risk riders including those with DUI convictions.
What is an SR-22 and how long do I need it?
An SR-22 is a certificate filed by your insurer verifying you carry minimum required coverage. It’s typically required for 3 years after a serious violation. During that period, any lapse in coverage triggers an automatic notification to the state and can result in license suspension.
Does a motorcycle violation affect my car insurance too?
Yes — your driving record covers all vehicles. A serious motorcycle violation will show up when your car insurer reviews your record and can affect your auto insurance rates as well. This catches a lot of riders off guard. Many assume their motorcycle and car policies are evaluated separately, but most insurers pull a single driving record that covers all vehicles you operate. A DUI or reckless driving charge on your motorcycle will almost certainly show up when your car insurer reviews your file at renewal — even if the two policies are with different companies.
How Budget Insurance Agency Can Help
At Budget Insurance Agency, we work with multiple carriers — including those that specialize in high-risk and SR-22 situations — so we can find motorcycle coverage regardless of your driving history. Whether you’ve had a recent violation, need an SR-22 filing, or just want to compare rates, we can help.
Get a motorcycle insurance quote or call us at 855-218-6308.