Does Georgia law require eye protection or a windshield for motorcyclists?

· 3 min read

Georgia gives riders a choice between two forms of protection. A motorcyclist must either ride a motorcycle equipped with a windshield or wear an approved eye-protective device. The law does not demand both, but it does require at least one, so a rider on a windshield-less motorcycle cannot legally go without eye protection.

The either-or rule

Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-315, no person may operate or ride upon a motorcycle that is not equipped with a windshield unless that person wears an eye-protective device of a type approved by the commissioner of public safety. Read plainly, the windshield and the approved eye protection are alternatives. If the motorcycle has a windshield, the rider satisfies this part of the law; if it does not, the rider must wear approved eye protection.

This requirement sits in the same statute as the helmet rule but is a separate obligation. A rider could comply with the helmet requirement yet still violate the eye-protection rule by riding a windshield-less motorcycle with unprotected eyes.

What counts as approved eye protection

The statute ties the eye-protective device to the commissioner of public safety’s approval, just as it does for headgear. The commissioner is authorized to approve or disapprove eye-protective devices, to set standards and specifications, and to publish lists of approved equipment. That means the relevant protection is gear meeting the state-recognized standard, not merely any pair of lenses.

Common forms of compliant protection include:

  • A helmet face shield approved for the purpose.
  • Goggles meeting the approved specifications.
  • Approved protective glasses suitable for motorcycle use.

Ordinary sunglasses that do not meet the approved standard may not satisfy the requirement.

Why it can matter in an injury claim

Like helmet status, eye-protection compliance is governed by the traffic statute but can surface in a personal-injury dispute. A defendant might argue that a rider’s failure to use a windshield or approved eye protection contributed to certain injuries, such as harm from road debris striking the eyes. O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33 lets a jury distribute fault in percentages, so any such argument rises or falls on linking the missing protection to the specific injury rather than on an automatic penalty.

The bottom line

Georgia requires motorcyclists to have either a windshield on the motorcycle or approved eye protection under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-315, but not necessarily both. On a windshield-less motorcycle, approved goggles, a face shield, or approved glasses are mandatory, and the protection must meet the state’s approved standard.

This article is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship, and Georgia law may change. For advice about a specific situation, consult a licensed Georgia personal injury attorney.

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