Motorcycle Safety Guide: Helmet Laws Save Lives and Money

How Do States Measure Up?

In 2010, 42% of motorcyclists who were fatally injured were unhelmeted. Helmets saved over 1,500 riders’ lives, but about 700 more lives could have been saved if all riders had worn helmets in 2010.24

On average, states with a universal helmet law save 8 times more riders’ lives per 100,000 motorcycle registrations each year, compared to states without a helmet law, and save 3 times more riders’ lives per 100,000 motorcycle registrations each year, compared to states with a partial helmet law.24

Economic costs saved in states with universal helmet laws were, on average, nearly four times greater per registered motorcycle than in states without such a law.

Motorcycle Helmet Laws in the United States, as of May 2012

[ View text version of helmet laws by state ]

**In April 2012, Michigan changed their helmet law from a universal to a partial helmet law. Please note that the lives saved and dollars saved analyses use 2010 data and reflect the status of the helmet laws at that time.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute37

Lives & Economic Costs Saved, by State

Note: In April 2012, Michigan changed their helmet law from a universal to a partial helmet law. Please note that the lives saved and dollars saved analyses use 2010 data and reflect the status of the helmet laws at that time.

Lives Saved

Lives saved by helmet use per 100,000 registered motorcycles by state, 2010

Note: For comparison purposes, lives saved are standardized by motorcycle registrations (per 100,000 registrations) for each state.

Economic Costs Saved

Economic costs saved by helmet use per registered motorcycle by state, 2010

Note: For comparison purposes, money saved is standardized by motorcycle registrations for each state.

Data used24, 44; Methods used43

State	Lives Saved per 100,000 Registered Motorcycles by State, 2010	Annual Costs Saved per Registered Motorcycle by State, 2010
North Carolina	79.8	$1,627
Virginia	68.0	$1,388
Mississippi	55.2	$1,127
Louisiana	52.9	$1,078
Maryland	51.7	$1,055
Tennessee	46.2	$939
Missouri	45.9	$934
Alabama	39.2	$799
Georgia	34.2	$698
Nevada	33.8	$690
Kentucky	31.9	$649
New York	28.7	$584
West Virginia	28.2	$575
Michigan	27.0	$550
California	26.0	$531
Texas	23.5	$480
Oregon	18.9	$385
Florida	18.7	$381
Massachusetts	18.6	$379
Washington	17.2	$351
Arizona	16.9	$346
Nebraska	16.5	$335
Connecticut	14.8	$300
Colorado	14.4	$294
Wyoming	14.2	$289
Pennsylvania	13.8	$282
Idaho	13.5	$275
South Carolina	13.1	$267
Vermont	12.9	$260
New Jersey	10.5	$215
Utah	10.2	$208
Maine	8.5	$173
Kansas	7.6	$156
Arksansas	7.1	$145
Rhode Island	7.1	$145
Ohio	6.8	$138
Delaware	6.6	$134
South Dakota	6.4	$131
New Hampshire	5.9	$120
Alaska	5.8	$119
Oklahoma	5.6	$115
Montana	5.6	$114
Indiana	5.6	$114
North Dakota	5.6	$113
Hawaii	5.4	$111
Wisconsin	3.9	$80
Illinois	3.7	$75
Minnesota	3.5	$71
Iowa	3.3	$66
New Mexico	2.4	$48

Note: For comparison purposes, lives saved are standardized by motorcycle registrations (per 100,000 registrations) for each state and money saved is standardized by motorcycle registrations for each state..

References

References are located on the Endnotes page.