Stricter Helmet Laws Could Have Saved 20,000 Lives in the US, Study Says

A new study by America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety claims “22,058 motorcyclists’ lives could have been saved if every state had required all riders to wear helmets from 1976 to 2022.”

In some American states wearing a helmet is not mandatory, with many of them varying by age. In 19 states including New York and California, it is required that you wear a helmet no matter your age or vehicle type.

But worryingly some states have very lax rules when it comes to the use of helmets. In 17 states you are not required to wear a helmet if you ride a scooter or moped, while in Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire you do not need to wear a helmet full stop.

Recently we reported on a large number of deaths which took place at the Sturgis Rally earlier this year in South Dakota, with nearly all the motorcycle-related deaths linked to not wearing helmets.

As a result of many, many more that have happened over the last few decades, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has undertaken a study which has shown alarming numbers.

The findings suggest that 22,058 American motorcyclists who died since the mid-1970s would have survived had stronger helmet laws been implemented. This is according to a nonprofit group that seeks to reduce the harm from motor vehicle crashes.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) also says more than 6,000 motorcyclists not wearing helmets were killed in both 2021 and 2022, which are the most recent years for such data being available.

It’s being reported that the death toll could be cut by as much as 10 per cent if more states enacted all-rider helmet laws.

Eric Teoh, IIHS director of statistical services, said: “We understand that requiring helmets for all riders everywhere would be unpopular with some motorcyclists, but this could save hundreds of lives each year. Those aren’t just numbers. They’re friends, parents and children.”