Motorcycle helmet laws vary widely among the states and have changed a lot in the past half a century. Currently, 19 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet, known as universal helmet laws. Laws requiring only some motorcyclists to wear a helmet are in place in 28 states. There is no motorcycle helmet use law in three states (Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire). In the past, many more states had universal helmet laws, thanks to pressure from the federal government. In 1967, states were required to enact helmet use laws in order to qualify for certain federal safety programs and highway construction funds. The federal incentive worked. By the early 1970s, almost all the states had universal motorcycle helmet laws. However, in 1976, states successfully lobbied Congress to stop the Department of Transportation from assessing financial penalties on states without helmet laws. Low-power cycle is a generic term used by IIHS to cover motor-driven cycles, mopeds, scooters, and various other 2-wheeled cycles excluded from the motorcycle definition.

While state laws vary, a cycle with an engine displacement of 50 cubic centimeters or less, brake horsepower of 2 or less, and top speeds of 30 mph or less typically is considered an low-power cycle. Twenty-three states have motorcycle helmet laws that cover all low-power cycles. Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have laws that cover some low-power cycles. Table: motorcycle helmet laws history Hover over map for more detail. Current State Motorcycle Helmet Laws and Fatality Rates The percentage of people killed in motorcycle crashes in 2011 who were not wearing helmets is higher in states without a mandatory helmet law. More than 8 million motorcycles were registered in the United States in 2011, and nearly 500,000 motorcycles were sold in 2012. In 2011, 4,612 motorcyclists were killed in crashes and 81,000 were injured. Per miles travelled, motorcyclists are 30 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash. Wearing helmets and getting the proper licensing and training have been shown to reduce injuries and deaths from motorcycle crashes.

Nineteen states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands currently require all riders to wear helmets. Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire do not require anyone to wear a helmet, regardless of age.clean motorcycle chain with engine degreaser The remaining 28 states require riders of a specific age—usually those under age 18 or 21—to wear helmets.tint motorcycle helmet shield According to a 2012 National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) Survey, conducted by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;2001 indian scout motorcycle for sale In states with universal helmet laws, 89 percent of the motorcyclists observed were wearing helmets.suzuki motorcycle parts pretoria

In states with partial helmet use requirements or no laws, 49 percent were observed wearing helmets. Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and National Conference of State Legislatures 2014. Complete Post Card PDFmotorcycle helmet laws oklahoma Get Involved With NCSLmotorcycle lift for sale winnipeg Tel: 1-800-659-2656 or 711motorcycle dealer in belleville nj NCSL in the News 7700 East First Place 444 North Capitol Street, N.W., Suite 515The IP address used for your Internet connection is part of a subnet that has been blocked from access to PubMed Central. Addresses across the entire subnet were used to download content in bulk, in violation of the terms of the PMC Copyright Notice.

Use of PMC is free, but must comply with the terms of the Copyright Notice on the PMC site. For additional information, or to request that your IP address be unblocked, For requests to be unblocked, you must include all of the information in the box above in your message.SOS Owning a Vehicle Vehicle Safety Motorcycle Helmet Use in Michigan What the Law Says Michigan law now allows motorcyclists to decide for themselves, if certain conditions are met, whether or not to wear a helmet. To legally not wear a helmet, a motorcycle operator must: Be at least 21 years old. Have at least $20,000 in first-party medical benefits. Have held a motorcycle endorsement for at least two years, or have passed an approved motorcycle safety course. The law also allows for motorcycle passengers to not wear a helmet. Passengers also may not wear a helmet as long as they: Are at least 21 years old. Have at least $20,000 in first-party medical benefits insurance in addition to the insurance that is required of the motorcycle operator.

A person younger than 21 years old still must wear a helmet approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation when operating or riding on a motorcycle. The requirement that an individual younger than 19 years old must wear a helmet if operating a moped on a public roadway is unchanged. Learn More About Using a Helmet To read more about properly using a motorcycle helmet, please see the video linked to above or this informational article from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, which recommends wearing an approved helmet as well as over-the-ankle footwear, long pants, a long-sleeved jacket and full-fingered motorcycle gloves. According to the article, "Since head injuries account for a majority of motorcycle fatalities, protection is vital.  Even the best helmet is no guarantee against injury. However, without a helmet you are more likely to have serious head injuries than a rider who is wearing one." The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a nationally recognized group devoted to safe riding, has produced an informative video about helmet use.