A universal helmet law is one that requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet when they ride, regardless of their age or experience. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) notes that, due to a federal law which tied highway funds to universal helmet laws, nearly every state had such a law on its books by 1975. However, one year later, Congress took away the federal government’s ability to penalize states for failing to have a universal helmet requirement. Today, there is now a patchwork of helmet laws in the United States:
Here, we have compiled a list of statistics as well as expert opinions on both sides of the debate over whether all states should have a universal helmet law in effect.
Helmet Use and Effectiveness
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that helmets saved the lives of 1,859 motorcyclists in the U.S. in 2016. The federal agency states that, if all motorcyclists had worn helmets, another 802 lives could have been saved. When it comes to preventing fatal injuries, the NHTSA estimates that helmets are:
In states without universal helmet laws, 60 percent of the motorcyclists who died in crashes in 2016 were not wearing a helmet. In states with universal helmet laws, that figure was at 8 percent. Overall, the rate of helmet use among American motorcyclists was 65.3 percent in 2016, according to the NHTSA.
As Reuters reports, a study published in 2015 in the American Journal of Surgery looked at motorcyclist injury data during the three years after Michigan repealed its universal helmet law in 2012. The study found that the percentage of riders who died at the crash scene rose from 14 percent before the law was repealed to 68 percent after repeal. The severity of injuries and number of life-threatening head injuries also increased in the aftermath of the law’s repeal.
What Do Proponents Of Universal Helmet Laws Say?
"Universal helmet laws are effective in increasing motorcycle helmet use and reducing deaths and injuries. These laws are effective for motorcyclists of all ages, including younger operators and passengers who would have already been covered by partial helmet laws. Repealing universal helmet laws decreased helmet use and increased deaths and injuries."
"Motorcycles are dangerous pieces of machinery."
"[T]he difference between life and death is often a good helmet.”
"I think a helmet is critical, just like seatbelts and airbags are critical."
What Do Opponents Of Universal Helmet Laws Say?
"Laws mandating helmet use at all times have no significant effect on the safety of motorcycling in general, although use of a helmet may or may not be beneficial in individual accident circumstances. The decision on when to wear a helmet while operating a motorcycle should remain with each responsible adult rider."
"The AMA opposes provisions conditioning adult helmet use choice on economic criteria such as, but not limited to, additional medical insurance coverage. This rationale is based on the negative and incorrect view that motorcyclists present a 'social burden.'"
“A helmet law doesn’t stop crashes. If the focus is not on stopping crashes, we are having the wrong conversation.”
What Makes A Helmet A 'Safe' One?
All helmets sold in the U.S. must bear a sticker showing that they meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218. This rule sets the minimum levels of performance which a helmet must satisfy in order to protect a person’s head in a crash. If a helmet label indicates that it meets the standards of private, non-profit organizations such as the Snell Foundation or American National Standards Institute, it is a “good indicator that the helmet also meets the federal safety standard,” according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation. In addition to the DOT sticker, riders should look for a helmet with:
- A thick inner liner (roughly a one-inch layer of firm polystyrene foam)
- Sturdy chin strap with solid rivets
- Weight of around three pounds
- Nothing that extends further than 2/10-inch from the helmet's surface
- A manufacturer's label.
Raynald Marchand of the Canada Safety Council advises riders who wear helmets without visors to at least wear quality protective lenses. “Unprotected eyes tend to be deformed by the air pressure or the tears, which makes it difficult to see,” he told CBC Toronto.
What Other Safety Gear Should Motorcyclists Wear?
According to motorcycle safety expert Hein Jonker, every rider and passenger on a motorcycle should wear, in addition to a DOT-approved helmet:
- Over-the-ankle boots
- Kevlar or ballistic nylon jeans
- Long-sleeved leather or cordura nylon jacket
- Full-fingered motorcycle gloves
Motorcyclists should also check state laws to make sure that they have mandatory equipment on their motorcycles. For instance, in Virginia, required motorcycle equipment includes:
- Headlight
- Rearview mirror
- Horn (except under limited circumstances of trail riding and endurance runs)
- Brake lights
- Exhaust system in good working order and equipped with a muffler
- Safety glass or a windscreen
Bruce Biondo of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Motorcycle Safety Program also suggests that motorcyclists ride motorcycles that feature an antilock brake system (ABS). The feature helps riders to maintain steering control when they make emergency stops, which can be helpful when a road surface is slick. “No matter what kind of rider you are, ABS can brake better than you,” Biondo said.
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