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Motorcycle Helmet Laws
Compared with cars, motorcycles are an especially dangerous form of travel. The federal government estimates that per mile traveled, the number of deaths on motorcycles in 2006 was about 35 times the number in cars. Motorcyclist deaths have been rising in recent years — more than doubling by 2007 from the record low in 1997. In 2007, more motorcyclists died in crashes than in any year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began collecting these fatal crash data. In contrast, passenger vehicle occupant deaths reached a record low in 2007. Motorcycles often have excessive performance capabilities, including especially rapid acceleration and high top speeds. They are less stable than cars in emergency braking and less visible to other motorists. Motorcyclists are more prone to crash injuries than car occupants because motorcycles are unenclosed, leaving riders vulnerable to contact with hard road surfaces. This is why wearing a helmet, as well as other protective clothing, is so important. Helmets are the principal countermeasure for reducing crash-related head injuries, the leading cause of death among unhelmeted riders.
How effective are helmets?
Helmets decrease the severity of head injuries, the likelihood of death, and the overall cost of medical care. They are designed to cushion and protect riders' heads from the impact of a crash. Just like safety belts in cars, helmets cannot provide total protection against head injury or death, but they do reduce the incidence of both. NHTSA estimates that motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of crash fatality by 37 percent. Norvell and Cummings found a 39 percent reduction in the risk of death after adjusting for age, gender, and seat position. Helmets are highly effective in preventing brain injuries, which often require extensive treatment and may result in lifelong disability. In the event of a crash, unhelmeted motorcyclists are three times more likely than helmeted riders to suffer traumatic brain injuries. While no real-world crash studies have yet evaluated the effectiveness of novelty helmets, or helmets that do not meet federal performance standards in preventing injury or death, recent NHTSA laboratory tests suggest that head injuries are much more likely with these helmets than with ones certified by the US Department of Transportation.
Are there drawbacks to helmet use?
Claims have been made that helmets increase the risk of neck injury and reduce peripheral vision and hearing, but there is no credible evidence to support these arguments. A study by J.P. Goldstein often is cited by helmet opponents as evidence that helmets cause neck injuries, allegedly by adding to head mass in a crash. More than a dozen studies have refuted Goldstein's findings. A study reported in the Annals of Emergency Medicine in 1994 analyzed 1,153 motorcycle crashes in four midwestern states and determined that "helmets reduce head injuries without an increased occurrence of spinal injuries in motorcycle trauma
Regarding claims that helmets obstruct vision, studies show full-coverage helmets provide only minor restrictions in horizontal peripheral vision. A 1994 study found that wearing helmets restricts neither the ability to hear horn signals nor the likelihood of seeing a vehicle in an adjacent lane prior to initiating a lane change. To compensate for any restrictions in lateral vision, riders increased their head rotation prior to a lane change. There were no differences in hearing thresholds under three helmet conditions: no helmet, partial coverage, and full coverage. The noise typically generated by a motorcycle is so loud that any reduction in hearing capability that may result from wearing a helmet is inconsequential. Sound loud enough to be heard above the engine can be heard when wearing a helmet
What is the history of helmet use laws in the United States?
In 1967, the federal government began requiring states to enact motorcycle helmet use lawsto qualify for certain federal safety program and highway construction funds. Forty states enacted universal helmet use laws that went into effect by the end of 1969. By 1975, all but three states mandated helmets for all motorcyclists. As the US Department of Transportation moved in 1976 to assess financial penalties on states without helmet laws, Congress responded to state pressure by revoking federal authority to assess penalties for noncompliance. Between 1976 and 1978, 20 states weakened their helmet use laws to apply only to young riders, usually those younger than 18. Eight states repealed helmet use requirements for all motorcyclists.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, several states reinstated helmet laws applying to all riders. In the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, Congress created incentives for states to enact helmet use and safety belt use laws. States with both laws were eligible for special safety grants, but states that had not enacted them by October 1993 had up to 3 percent of their federal highway allotment redirected to highway safety programsFour years after establishing the incentives, Congress again reversed itself. In the fall of 1995, Congress lifted federal sanctions against states without helmet use laws, paving the way for state legislatures to repeal helmet laws. In 1997, helmet
State
Universal law (covers all riders)
Partial law (covers young riders or some adult riders)
1Alaska's motorcycle helmet use law covers passengers of all ages, operators younger than 18, and operators with instructional permits.
2In Florida, the law requires that all riders younger than 21 years wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 years and older may ride without helmets only if they can show proof that they are covered by a medical insurance policy.
3In Kentucky, the law requires that all riders younger than 21 years wear helmets, without exception. Those 21 years and older may ride without helmets only if they can show proof that they are covered by a medical insurance policy. Motorcycle helmet laws in Kentucky also cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.
4Motorcycle helmet laws in Maine cover operators with instructional/learner's permits. Maine's motorcycle helmet use law also covers passengers 14 years and younger and passengers if their operators are required to wear a helmet.
5Motorcycle helmet laws in Minnesota cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.
6North Dakota's motorcycle helmet use law covers all passengers traveling with operators who are covered by the law.
7Ohio's motorcycle helmet use law covers all operators during the first year of licensure and all passengers of operators who are covered by the law.
8Pennsylvania's motorcycle helmet use law covers all operators during the first two years of licensure unless the operator has completed the safety course approved by PennDOT or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
9Rhode Island's motorcycle helmet use law covers all passengers (regardless of age) and all operators during the first year of licensure (regardless of age).
10Texas exempts riders 21 years or older if they can either show proof of successfully completing a motorcycle operator training and safety course or can show proof of having a medical insurance policy.
11Motorcycle helmet laws in Wisconsin cover operators with instructional/learner's permits.
Motorcycle Rider Fatalities by State, Helmet Use, and BAC, 2007
Total Motorcycle
Impaired Motorcycle Riders
State
Riders Killed
Helmeted
Not Helmeted
Killed (BAC=.08+)
BAC=.01+
Number
Percent
Percent
Percent
Percent
Alabama
80
91%
9%
19%
25%
Alaska
6
100%
0%
30%
35%
Arizona
127
44%
56%
22%
30%
Arkansas
76
38%
62%
23%
36%
California
495
86%
14%
24%
30%
Colorado
84
38%
62%
30%
37%
Connecticut
36
36%
64%
23%
35%
Delaware
15
36%
64%
21%
38%
Dist of Columbia
2
50%
50%
50%
100%
Florida
530
52%
48%
25%
32%
Georgia
156
88%
12%
18%
25%
Hawaii
25
24%
76%
29%
45%
Idaho
26
35%
65%
24%
30%
Illinois
142
19%
81%
38%
46%
Indiana
113
20%
80%
33%
39%
Iowa
54
9%
91%
28%
32%
Kansas
41
28%
73%
21%
30%
Kentucky
105
37%
63%
25%
28%
Louisiana
78
76%
24%
31%
40%
Maine
18
33%
67%
25%
26%
Maryland
88
90%
10%
23%
30%
Massachusetts
59
95%
5%
34%
46%
Michigan
120
90%
10%
22%
28%
Minnesota
58
21%
79%
26%
34%
Mississippi
47
64%
36%
29%
35%
Missouri
84
79%
21%
31%
38%
Montana
33
47%
53%
27%
30%
Nebraska
13
69%
31%
46%
62%
Nevada
48
88%
13%
26%
39%
New Hampshire
23
43%
57%
13%
27%
New Jersey
79
83%
17%
28%
36%
New Mexico
49
18%
82%
41%
49%
New York
158
85%
15%
26%
36%
North Carolina
195
93%
7%
26%
33%
North Dakota
6
17%
83%
20%
40%
Ohio
178
35%
65%
29%
36%
Oklahoma
67
30%
70%
29%
31%
Oregon
47
93%
7%
28%
39%
Pennsylvania
210
46%
54%
34%
43%
Rhode Island
13
25%
75%
58%
72%
South Carolina
119
26%
74%
40%
47%
South Dakota
24
21%
79%
18%
31%
Tennessee
144
87%
13%
27%
34%
Texas
375
40%
60%
39%
46%
Utah
29
50%
50%
10%
14%
Vermont
7
71%
29%
14%
29%
Virginia
126
91%
9%
29%
39%
Washington
65
85%
15%
35%
45%
West Virginia
38
83%
17%
24%
33%
Wisconsin
104
23%
77%
35%
47%
Wyoming
18
44%
56%
28%
32%
National
4,833
59%
41%
28%
36%
Puerto Rico
83
33%
67%
32%
43%
The difference between a stunt and a crash- good thing for the safety gear...
