BIKE & MOTORCYCLE HELMET LAWS

BICYCLE AND MOTORCYCLE HELMET LAWS IN THE U.S.

While I don’t always see eye-to-eye with the political views and legislative agenda of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, I do love their research. According to the front page of its website IIHS is an “…independent, non-profit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the losses…on the nation’s highways…”

Of course, when you read the fine print you see that the “Insurance” part of the IIHS name means that the money supporting the IIHS comes from the biggest auto insurers in the world. While this slant may indicate that “reducing losses” means paying less on claims to those who get hurt [you don’t see the IIHS supporting bills to INCREASE pain and suffering awards], it doesn’t change the numbers – only the “spin” when the numbers are whacked around in public!

In the arena of bicycles and motorcycle, the IIHS does strong research on death/injury statistics. It then tinges those numbers with a “Pro Helmet Law” flavoring which I, personally, tend to ignore. I simply do not feel that the government should be telling us what kind of hat to wear when we go ride our bikes and motorcycles. The numbers don’t support it – rather, the numbers would indicate that if Kevlar suits and helmets were required for CAR drivers and passengers, they would be a LOT safer… when they pass THAT law, they can tackle the really small problem of bicycle/motorcycle injuries.

The IIHS published an excellent summary of bicycle and motorcycle laws, which is shown below. You can also go here to read about it up close and personal.

Currently in OHIO there is NO bicycle helmet law. However, there is one percolating in the Legislature at this very moment. More on that later. For now, here’s the IIHS summary of Bicycle and Motorcycle Helmet Laws in the US.

FROM THE IIHS WEBPAGE

Twenty states and the District of Columbia have motorcycle helmet laws that require all riders to wear a helmet. Twenty-seven states have a motorcycle helmet law that only require some riders to wear a helmet. Three states (Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire) do not have a motorcycle helmet law.

Low-power cycle (LPC) 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 LPC. Twenty-two states have motorcycle helmet laws that cover all low-power cycles. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia have laws that cover some low-power cycles.

Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have bicycle helmet laws that require some young bicyclists to wear a helmet. Local law may require helmet use for some or all bicyclists.


State	Motorcycle helmets	Does the motorcycle helmet law cover all low-power cycles?	Bicycle helmets
Alabama	all riders	yes	15 and younger
Alaska	17 and younger¹	yes	no law
Arizona	17 and younger	some	no law
Arkansas	20 and younger	yes	no law
California	all riders	yes	17 and younger
Colorado	17 and younger and passengers 17 and younger	yes	no law
Connecticut	17 and younger	yes	15 and younger
Delaware	18 and younger	some	17 and younger
District of Columbia	all riders	some	15 and younger
Florida	20 and younger²	some	15 and younger
Georgia	all riders	some	15 and younger
Hawaii	17 and younger	some	15 and younger
Idaho	17 and younger	some	no law
Illinois	no law	no law	no law
Indiana	17 and younger	yes	no law
Iowa	no law	no law	no law
Kansas	17 and younger	some	no law
Kentucky	20 and younger³	some	no law
Louisiana	all riders	yes	11 and younger
Maine	17 and younger⁴	some	15 and younger
Maryland	all riders	some	15 and younger
Massachusetts	all riders	yes	1–16 (riding with children younger than 1 prohibited)
Michigan	all riders	some	no law
Minnesota	17 and younger⁵	yes	no law
Mississippi	all riders	yes	no law
Missouri	all riders	some	no law
Montana	17 and younger	some	no law
Nebraska	all riders	yes	no law
Nevada	all riders	some	no law
New Hampshire	no law	no law	15 and younger
New Jersey	all riders	yes	16 and younger
New Mexico	17 and younger	some	17 and younger
New York	all riders	some	1–13 (riding with children younger than 1 prohibited)
North Carolina	all riders	yes	15 and younger
North Dakota	17 and younger⁶	yes	no law
Ohio	17 and younger⁷	yes	no law
Oklahoma	17 and younger	some	no law
Oregon	all riders	yes	15 and younger
Pennsylvania	20 and younger⁸	some	11 and younger
Rhode Island	20 and younger⁹	some	15 and younger
South Carolina	20 and younger	yes	no law
South Dakota	17 and younger	yes	no law
Tennessee	all riders	yes	15 and younger
Texas	20 and younger¹⁰	some	no law
Utah	17 and younger	yes	no law
Vermont	all riders	some	no law
Virginia	all riders	some	no law
Washington	all riders	yes	no law
West Virginia	all riders	some	14 and younger
Wisconsin	17 and younger¹¹	some	no law
Wyoming	17 and younger	some	no law