Introduction
Helmet laws vary from state to state in the United States, and even some cities have their own regulations. Currently, 18 states and the District of Columbia have universal helmet laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets whenever they are operating a motorcycle, regardless of age and experience level. 29 states have partial helmet laws that require only certain riders, such as those under 18 or 21 years old, to wear helmets when operating a motorcycle. Three other states – Illinois, New Hampshire, and Iowa, do not have helmet laws. Studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have revealed that universal helmet laws are associated with higher rates of helmet use among motorcyclists. In addition, the NHTSA has found that universal helmet laws result in lower fatality rates for adult motorcyclists than partial helmet laws do. Despite the fact that motorcycles account for only 3% of registered vehicles in America, they account for 14% of all traffic fatalities; thus demonstrating how important it is that all riders comply with any applicable helmet law. Ultimately, by wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle, riders can help protect themselves from serious injury or death if an accident occurs.
| State | Motorcycle Helmet Requirements | Number of Fatal Car Accidents | Number of Car Accident Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Age Requirement | 53 | 64 |
| Arizona | Age Requirement | 967 | 1,054 |
| Arkansas | Age Requirement | 585 | 638 |
| Colorado | Age Requirement | 574 | 622 |
| Connecticut | Age Requirement | 279 | 295 |
| Delaware | Age Requirement | 104 | 116 |
| Florida | Age Requirement | 3,098 | 3,331 |
| Hawaii | Age Requirement | 81 | 85 |
| Idaho | Age Requirement | 188 | 214 |
| Indiana | Age Requirement | 815 | 897 |
| Kansas | Age Requirement | 382 | 426 |
| Kentucky | Age Requirement | 709 | 780 |
| Maine | Age Requirement | 151 | 164 |
| Michigan | Age Requirement | 1,011 | 1,084 |
| Minnesota | Age Requirement | 369 | 394 |
| Missouri | Age Requirement | 914 | 987 |
| Montana | Age Requirement | 190 | 213 |
| New Mexico | Age Requirement | 365 | 398 |
| North Dakota | Age Requirement | 96 | 100 |
| Ohio | Age Requirement | 1,154 | 123 |
| Oklahoma | Age Requirement | 599 | 652 |
| Pennsylvania | Age Requirement | 106 | 1,129 |
| Rhode Island | Age Requirement | 66 | 67 |
| South Carolina | Age Requirement | 962 | 1,064 |
| South Dakota | Age Requirement | 132 | 141 |
| Texas | Age Requirement | 352 | 3,874 |
| Utah | Age Requirement | 256 | 276 |
| Wisconsin | Age Requirement | 561 | 614 |
| Wyoming | Age Requirement | 114 | 127 |
| Alabama | All Riders | 852 | 934 |
| California | All Riders | 3,558 | 3,847 |
| District of Columbia | All Riders | 34 | 36 |
| Georgia | All Riders | 1,522 | 1,664 |
| Louisiana | All Riders | 762 | 828 |
| Maryland | All Riders | 540 | 567 |
| Massachusetts | All Riders | 327 | 343 |
| Mississippi | All Riders | 687 | 752 |
| Nebraska | All Riders | 217 | 233 |
| Nevada | All Riders | 293 | 317 |
| New Jersey | All Riders | 547 | 584 |
| New York | All Riders | 963 | 1,046 |
| North Carolina | All Riders | 1,412 | 1,538 |
| Oregon | All Riders | 461 | 508 |
| Tennessee | All Riders | 1,119 | 1,217 |
| Vermont | All Riders | 58 | 62 |
| Virginia | All Riders | 796 | 850 |
| Washington | All Riders | 525 | 560 |
| West Virginia | All Riders | 249 | 267 |
| Illinois | No Law | 1,087 | 1,194 |
| Iowa | No Law | 304 | 337 |
| New Hampshire | No Law | 98 | 104 |
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements by State
Alabama
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
852
Ranked in the US
#13
Number of Car Accident Deaths
934
Ranked in the US
#14
Alaska
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
53
Ranked in the US
#50
Number of Car Accident Deaths
64
Ranked in the US
#49
Arizona
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
967
Ranked in the US
#9
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,054
Ranked in the US
#11
Arkansas
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
585
Ranked in the US
#20
Number of Car Accident Deaths
638
Ranked in the US
#21
California
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
3,558
Ranked in the US
#1
Number of Car Accident Deaths
3,847
Ranked in the US
#2
Colorado
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
574
Ranked in the US
#21
Number of Car Accident Deaths
622
Ranked in the US
#22
Connecticut
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
279
Ranked in the US
#34
Number of Car Accident Deaths
295
Ranked in the US
#34
Delaware
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
104
Ranked in the US
#44
Number of Car Accident Deaths
116
Ranked in the US
#44
District of Columbia
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
34
Ranked in the US
#51
Number of Car Accident Deaths
36
Ranked in the US
#51
Florida
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
3,098
Ranked in the US
#2
Number of Car Accident Deaths
3,331
Ranked in the US
#3
Georgia
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
1,522
Ranked in the US
#3
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,664
Ranked in the US
#4
Hawaii
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
81
Ranked in the US
#47
Number of Car Accident Deaths
85
Ranked in the US
#47
Idaho
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
188
Ranked in the US
#39
Number of Car Accident Deaths
214
Ranked in the US
#38
Illinois
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
No Law
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
1,087
Ranked in the US
#7
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,194
Ranked in the US
#7
Indiana
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
815
Ranked in the US
#14
Number of Car Accident Deaths
897
Ranked in the US
#15
Iowa
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
No Law
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
304
Ranked in the US
#32
Number of Car Accident Deaths
337
Ranked in the US
#32
Kansas
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
382
Ranked in the US
#27
Number of Car Accident Deaths
426
Ranked in the US
#28
Kentucky
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
709
Ranked in the US
#17
Number of Car Accident Deaths
780
Ranked in the US
#18
Louisiana
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
762
Ranked in the US
#16
Number of Car Accident Deaths
828
Ranked in the US
#17
Maine
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
151
Ranked in the US
#40
Number of Car Accident Deaths
164
Ranked in the US
#40
Maryland
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
540
Ranked in the US
#24
Number of Car Accident Deaths
567
Ranked in the US
#25
Massachusetts
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
327
Ranked in the US
#31
Number of Car Accident Deaths
343
Ranked in the US
#31
Michigan
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
1,011
Ranked in the US
#8
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,084
Ranked in the US
#9
Minnesota
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
369
Ranked in the US
#28
Number of Car Accident Deaths
394
Ranked in the US
#30
Mississippi
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
687
Ranked in the US
#18
Number of Car Accident Deaths
752
Ranked in the US
#19
Missouri
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
914
Ranked in the US
#12
Number of Car Accident Deaths
987
Ranked in the US
#13
Montana
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
190
Ranked in the US
#38
Number of Car Accident Deaths
213
Ranked in the US
#39
Nebraska
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
217
Ranked in the US
#37
Number of Car Accident Deaths
233
Ranked in the US
#37
Nevada
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
293
Ranked in the US
#33
Number of Car Accident Deaths
317
Ranked in the US
#33
New Hampshire
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
No Law
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
98
Ranked in the US
#45
Number of Car Accident Deaths
104
Ranked in the US
#45
New Jersey
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
547
Ranked in the US
#23
Number of Car Accident Deaths
584
Ranked in the US
#24
New Mexico
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
365
Ranked in the US
#29
Number of Car Accident Deaths
398
Ranked in the US
#29
New York
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
963
Ranked in the US
#10
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,046
Ranked in the US
#12
North Carolina
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
1,412
Ranked in the US
#4
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,538
Ranked in the US
#5
North Dakota
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
96
Ranked in the US
#46
Number of Car Accident Deaths
100
Ranked in the US
#46
Ohio
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
1,154
Ranked in the US
#5
Number of Car Accident Deaths
123
Ranked in the US
#43
Oklahoma
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
599
Ranked in the US
#19
Number of Car Accident Deaths
652
Ranked in the US
#20
Oregon
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
461
Ranked in the US
#26
Number of Car Accident Deaths
508
Ranked in the US
#27
Pennsylvania
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
106
Ranked in the US
#43
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,129
Ranked in the US
#8
Rhode Island
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
66
Ranked in the US
#48
Number of Car Accident Deaths
67
Ranked in the US
#48
South Carolina
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
962
Ranked in the US
#11
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,064
Ranked in the US
#10
South Dakota
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
132
Ranked in the US
#41
Number of Car Accident Deaths
141
Ranked in the US
#41
Tennessee
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
1,119
Ranked in the US
#6
Number of Car Accident Deaths
1,217
Ranked in the US
#6
Texas
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
352
Ranked in the US
#30
Number of Car Accident Deaths
3,874
Ranked in the US
#1
Utah
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
256
Ranked in the US
#35
Number of Car Accident Deaths
276
Ranked in the US
#35
Vermont
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
58
Ranked in the US
#49
Number of Car Accident Deaths
62
Ranked in the US
#50
Virginia
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
796
Ranked in the US
#15
Number of Car Accident Deaths
850
Ranked in the US
#16
Washington
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
525
Ranked in the US
#25
Number of Car Accident Deaths
560
Ranked in the US
#26
West Virginia
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
All Riders
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
249
Ranked in the US
#36
Number of Car Accident Deaths
267
Ranked in the US
#36
Wisconsin
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
561
Ranked in the US
#22
Number of Car Accident Deaths
614
Ranked in the US
#23
Wyoming
Motorcycle Helmet Requirements
Age Requirement
Number of Fatal Car Accidents
114
Ranked in the US
#42
Number of Car Accident Deaths
127
Ranked in the US
#42
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