Helmets Don’t Cause Injuries

The facts simply don’t support the claim by some helmet

use opponents that helmets cause injuries rather than
Helmets Don’t Impair Vision or Hearing
Helmets don’t obscure vision.
In fact, less than three percent of peripheral vision is limited
Helmets Protect at Normal Speeds
Helmet law opponents often claim, incorrectly, that helmets
cause injuries at speeds above 13.66 miles per hour (mph)
Motorcycle
because they cannot absorb forces beyond that speed. In fact,

Helmets
prevent them. After investigating 900 motorcycle crashes by a motorcycle helmet, according to a study conducted to
and 980 resulting head and neck injuries, the University investigate helmets and vision. All helmets provide a field a study conducted by the University of Southern California
of Southern California study concluded that: of vision of more than 210 degrees – well above the 140 found that most motorcycle crashes do not involve a rider
degree standard that state driver licensing agencies use crashing head-on into a fixed object, but rather a rider traveling
• Helmeted riders and passengers experienced to identify vision problems. Most helmeted motorcycle at 25-30 mph who strikes the pavement or other surface at
significantly fewer and less severe head and neck riders simply turn their heads a little more, if necessary, an angle. Helmet safety performance criteria established
injuries than unhelmeted riders and passengers. in order to check traffic. by the U.S. Department of Transportation are based, in part,
on crash data demonstrating what typically happens to
• Only four of the 980 head and neck injuries were
motorcyclists in actual crashes. Helmets are tested at a
attributed to safety helmets and all were minor
13.3 mph vertical drop to simulate the types of angle impacts
injuries. “Each of these four cases showed that
that occur at much higher speeds. Crash data confirms that
protection from possible fatal injury was achieved,
helmets are very effective in preventing head injuries in
but with a small penalty of a ‘band aid’ type injury.”
crashes at speeds greatly exceeding 13 mph.
These minor injuries included bruises and
abrasions to the neck, jaw, nose, and head.
In each case, the helmet prevented possible Helmet Laws Make Sense
fatal or critical head injury.
Fact: The value of motorcycle helmets in reducing
• There is a critical need for the use of protective
deaths and serious injuries has been documented
equipment by every motorcycle rider. The Helmets don’t impair hearing.
for more than 40 years.
contemporary motorcycle helmet provides a A motorcyclist out on the road will hear just as well or
significant reduction of head and neck injury even better with a helmet as without one, according to the Fact: Research has shown that helmets do not cause
without any adverse effect on vision, hearing, or U.S. Department of Transportation. Why? Because for injuries, nor do they hamper vision or hearing.
vulnerability for other injury. someone without a helmet, the wind and sound of the Yet without state laws that require helmet usage,
engine are very loud, and any other important sounds must too many motorcyclists will ride unprotected.
be even louder to be heard over all that noise. With a Despite the overwhelming evidence, some motorcyclists
helmet on, surrounding sounds are quieter, but in equal refuse to wear helmets and persistently oppose any helmet
proportions. This means that what can be heard over wind use laws. Their argument is that helmet laws are government
and engine noise without a helmet, can also be heard in interference, and that these laws interfere with the freedom to
the same way with a helmet since wind and engine noise take risks and to gamble against death and permanent injury.
will also be reduced. Technically speaking, the signal to But what kind of freedom is that? And who pays the price for
noise ratio stays the same. those who gamble and lose? Families of the injured, as well as
A recent study to assess the impact of a motorcycle society as a whole (i.e., taxpayers) must bear the tremendous
helmet on vision and hearing capabilities found that helmet economic, psychological, and social costs involved in deaths
use neither reduced the ability of riders to see traffic nor and injuries to unhelmeted cyclists. The National Highway
increased the time needed to visually check for nearby Traffic Safety Administration estimates more than $7.5 billion
traffic. Helmet use also did not make a difference in a was saved from 1984 through 1995 because of the use of
rider’s ability to hear surrounding traffic sounds. helmets. An additional $6.8 billion would most likely have been
saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets. The facts speak
for themselves. Helmet use laws, like safety belt use and many
other traffic safety laws, make good, common sense for
motorcyclists and the general public.

U.S. Department of Transportation

National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
DOT HS 807 603
Revised October 1996 T h e Fac t s of L i f e
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Helmets and Motorcycle Safety
Each year more than 2,200 people are killed and more Helmet Laws Work
than 55,000 are injured in motorcycle crashes. Even though helmets and helmet use laws are clearly The question of whether motorcycle helmets should be
If these individuals had been wearing helmets, many effective in reducing motorcycle fatalities, these laws worn involves much more than simply “freedom of choice”
of these deaths and disabling injuries would not have have been controversial. for the rider. America has long been committed to individual
happened. Why? Because a helmet is the motorcyclist’s liberty, but even our society needs controls such as helmet
In 1975, 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto
most effective piece of safety equipment. laws that balance individual freedoms with public safety,
Rico had helmet use laws. But between 1976 and 1980,
health, and social welfare concerns.
Yes, there are other important aspects to a 28 states either weakened or repealed those laws. During
comprehensive motorcycle safety program – rider that time motorcycle fatalities increased 55 percent, while Won’t people wear helmets on their own?
training, motorcycle licensing, alcohol and other drug motorcycle registrations increased by only 15 percent. Unfortunately, the answer is usually no. Surveys show
education, and motorist awareness. Helmets won’t The current trend is toward repealing existing helmet that in states without helmet laws, only 34 to 54 percent
prevent crashes, but they clearly will cut down laws, however there are still only 25 states, the District of of motorcyclists wear helmets voluntarily. In states that
on deaths and injuries when collisions occur. And no Colombia, and Puerto Rico that require all motorcycle riders do have these laws, more than 98 percent of motorcyclists
other aspect of a motorcycle safety program has and passengers to wear helmets. In 22 states, certain wear them – an enormous difference.
been proven more effective than state helmet laws. populations, such as minors, are required to wear them,
and in three states there are no helmet use requirements. Helmets Do Save Lives
Why the controversy over helmet use laws? Some say that
The evidence is overwhelming. Consider the following: these laws restrict freedom, that they don’t work, or even
The evidence is overwhelming.
From 1984 through 1995, helmets saved the lives of more
• More than 80 percent of all motorcycle crashes result in injury or death to the motorcyclist. that the helmets themselves are dangerous.
than 7,400 motorcyclists. If all motorcyclists and their
• Per mile driven, a motorcyclist is 16 times more likely to die in a crash than an automobile driver. Wearing a motorcycle passengers had worn helmets during those years, more
It is time to get the facts out. Simply put:
helmet reduces that risk by almost one-third (29 percent). than 6,300 additional lives could have been saved.
• Head injury is a leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes. Riders who don’t wear helmets and who experience a crash • Motorcycle helmets save lives.
This data confirms numerous studies conducted in
are 40 percent more likely to sustain a fatal head injury. • Motorcycle helmets reduce the severity of injuries.
the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, and
• State helmet use laws result in many more people
• A study of 900 motorcycle crashes (conducted by the University of Southern California) showed that wearing a helmet was Australia, that show how effective helmets are in
using helmets, and when more people use helmets,
the single most critical factor in preventing or reducing head and neck injuries among motorcycle drivers and passengers. preventing or reducing the severity of motorcycle
the costs to family and society resulting from
head injuries. That’s why all of these countries have
• From 1984 through 1995, helmets saved the lives of more than 7,400 motorcyclists. But more than 6,300 additional deaths motorcycle deaths and injuries go down.
laws requiring motorcycle helmet use.
could have been prevented if all riders had been wearing helmets. • When helmet laws are repealed, fatalities increase
an estimated 20 percent. Motorcycle crash data have proven time and again that
• Studies show that laws requiring helmet use are very effective in reducing motorcycle fatalities because such laws motorcycle helmets, when worn, reduce the risk of death
influence more people to wear helmets. In Louisiana, the first state to repeal and then re-adopt a helmet law for all riders, in a motorcycle crash by 29 percent, and are 67 percent
there were 30 percent fewer motorcycle deaths during 1982, the first year that the helmet law was reinstated. Helmet Laws are Constitutional effective in preventing traumatic brain injury. Tragically,
and Necessary some crashes are so severe that they are fatal even if a
Helmet laws are constitutional. helmet is worn. But no other piece of safety equipment
Since 1989, the following states have enacted mandatory helmet laws for all riders, and experienced significant reductions in fatalities: The highest courts in more than 25 states have declared can make as big a difference as the motorcycle helmet.
Oregon - 33% Texas - 23% California - 37% Nebraska - 32% Washington - 15% Maryland - 20% helmet laws constitutional. Only one state supreme court As one safety researcher said, ”Why not use common
(Illinois) ever invalidated a motorcycle helmet use law, sense? If someone was going to hit you on the head
and that court has since overruled its original decision. with a baseball bat, would you rather have a helmet on
As well, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Massachusetts your head or not? The answer is obvious, and the answer
• Hospitalization costs are higher for motorcycle crash victims who don’t wear helmets, compared to those who do. law requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets.
Numerous studies comparing hospital costs of helmeted and unhelmeted motorcyclists involved in crashes have is the same for falling off your motorcycle and hitting
found costs for unhelmeted riders to average $3,000 more than for helmeted riders. And, riders who don’t wear your head on the ground.”
helmets are less likely to have health insurance, resulting in the cost of their care being forced on to taxpayers.