Helmet Law States

Map

Table

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, Massachusetts, 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.

StateMotorcycle Helmet RequirementsNumber of Fatal Car AccidentsNumber of Car Accident Deaths
AlaskaAge Requirement5364
ArizonaAge Requirement9671,054
ArkansasAge Requirement585638
ColoradoAge Requirement574622
ConnecticutAge Requirement279295
DelawareAge Requirement104116
FloridaAge Requirement3,0983,331
HawaiiAge Requirement8185
IdahoAge Requirement188214
IndianaAge Requirement815897
KansasAge Requirement382426
KentuckyAge Requirement709780
MaineAge Requirement151164
MichiganAge Requirement1,0111,084
MinnesotaAge Requirement369394
MissouriAge Requirement914987
MontanaAge Requirement190213
New MexicoAge Requirement365398
North DakotaAge Requirement96100
OhioAge Requirement1,154123
OklahomaAge Requirement599652
PennsylvaniaAge Requirement1061,129
Rhode IslandAge Requirement6667
South CarolinaAge Requirement9621,064
South DakotaAge Requirement132141
TexasAge Requirement3523,874
UtahAge Requirement256276
WisconsinAge Requirement561614
WyomingAge Requirement114127
AlabamaAll Riders852934
CaliforniaAll Riders3,5583,847
District of ColumbiaAll Riders3436
GeorgiaAll Riders1,5221,664
LouisianaAll Riders762828
MarylandAll Riders540567
MassachusettsAll Riders327343
MississippiAll Riders687752
NebraskaAll Riders217233
NevadaAll Riders293317
New JerseyAll Riders547584
New YorkAll Riders9631,046
North CarolinaAll Riders1,4121,538
OregonAll Riders461508
TennesseeAll Riders1,1191,217
VermontAll Riders5862
VirginiaAll Riders796850
WashingtonAll Riders525560
West VirginiaAll Riders249267
IllinoisNo Law1,0871,194
IowaNo Law304337
New HampshireNo Law98104

Motorcycle Helmet Requirements by State

Alabama

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#13

Ranked in the US

#14

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Alaska

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#50

Ranked in the US

#49

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Arizona

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#9

Ranked in the US

#11

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Arkansas

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#20

Ranked in the US

#21

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

California

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#1

Ranked in the US

#2

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Colorado

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#21

Ranked in the US

#22

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Connecticut

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#34

Ranked in the US

#34

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Delaware

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#44

Ranked in the US

#44

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

District of Columbia

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#51

Ranked in the US

#51

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Florida

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#2

Ranked in the US

#3

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Georgia

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#3

Ranked in the US

#4

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Hawaii

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#47

Ranked in the US

#47

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Idaho

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#39

Ranked in the US

#38

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Illinois

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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No Law

Ranked in the US

#7

Ranked in the US

#7

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Indiana

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#14

Ranked in the US

#15

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Iowa

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No Law

Ranked in the US

#32

Ranked in the US

#32

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Kansas

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#27

Ranked in the US

#28

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Kentucky

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#17

Ranked in the US

#18

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Louisiana

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#16

Ranked in the US

#17

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Maine

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#40

Ranked in the US

#40

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Maryland

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#24

Ranked in the US

#25

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Massachusetts

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#31

Ranked in the US

#31

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Michigan

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#8

Ranked in the US

#9

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Minnesota

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#28

Ranked in the US

#30

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Mississippi

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#18

Ranked in the US

#19

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Missouri

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#12

Ranked in the US

#13

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Montana

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#38

Ranked in the US

#39

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Nebraska

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#37

Ranked in the US

#37

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Nevada

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#33

Ranked in the US

#33

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

New Hampshire

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No Law

Ranked in the US

#45

Ranked in the US

#45

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

New Jersey

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#23

Ranked in the US

#24

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

New Mexico

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#29

Ranked in the US

#29

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

New York

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#10

Ranked in the US

#12

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

North Carolina

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#4

Ranked in the US

#5

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

North Dakota

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#46

Ranked in the US

#46

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Ohio

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#5

Ranked in the US

#43

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Oklahoma

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#19

Ranked in the US

#20

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Oregon

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#26

Ranked in the US

#27

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Pennsylvania

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#43

Ranked in the US

#8

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Rhode Island

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#48

Ranked in the US

#48

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

South Carolina

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#11

Ranked in the US

#10

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

South Dakota

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#41

Ranked in the US

#41

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Tennessee

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#6

Ranked in the US

#6

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Texas

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#30

Ranked in the US

#1

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Utah

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#35

Ranked in the US

#35

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Vermont

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#49

Ranked in the US

#50

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Virginia

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#15

Ranked in the US

#16

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Washington

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#25

Ranked in the US

#26

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

West Virginia

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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All Riders

Ranked in the US

#36

Ranked in the US

#36

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Wisconsin

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#22

Ranked in the US

#23

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths

Wyoming

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Motorcycle Helmet Requirements

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Age Requirement

Ranked in the US

#42

Ranked in the US

#42

Number of Fatal Car Accidents

Number of Car Accident Deaths