Quick answer
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 6,228 motorcyclists were killed in 2024, 16% of all traffic deaths.[1] A Cochrane review found that helmets reduce the risk of head injury by around 69% and the risk of death by around 42%.[2] Helmet laws differ by state,[3] and some auto coverages that protect car occupants do not extend to motorcycles.[4]
Motorcycle crash statistics
- “In 2024, there were 6,228 motorcyclists killed — 16% of all traffic fatalities,” and NHTSA says this is “one of the highest number of motorcyclists killed since at least 1975.”[1]
- Per vehicle mile traveled in 2024, NHTSA reports that motorcyclists “were almost 27 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle crash and were almost 5 times more likely to be injured.”[1]
- The CDC reports that more than 218,000 motorcyclists were treated in emergency departments for crash injuries in 2022.[5]
- NHTSA reports that 40% of riders who died in single-vehicle crashes in 2024 were alcohol-impaired.[1]
What helmets do
From six higher-quality studies, the Cochrane review estimated that helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69%; from four studies, it estimated they reduce the risk of death by 42%.[2] A CDC summary puts helmet effectiveness in preventing deaths at 37% for riders and 41% for passengers.[6] NHTSA reports that use of DOT-compliant helmets was 74% in 2023.[1]
The CDC cites a study estimating that 22,058 motorcyclists who died on U.S. roads between 1976 and 2022 would have survived if helmet use in states without universal helmet laws had matched use in states with them.[5]
Helmet laws by state
States take three approaches: universal laws that cover every rider, partial laws that cover only some riders (often younger riders), and no helmet law. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) maintains a state-by-state table.[3] For example, IIHS reports that in Florida all riders younger than 21 must wear helmets, and riders 21 and older may ride without one only if they can show proof of coverage under a medical insurance policy.[3]
How a helmet affects an injury claim
An injured rider’s claim against a negligent driver follows the same negligence principles as any crash claim.[7] Under comparative negligence, a recovery can be reduced by the injured person’s share of fault.[8] Whether not wearing a helmet counts as fault, and whether it can reduce damages for a head injury, is decided under each state’s law.
Insurance gaps for riders
Coverage that protects car occupants does not always extend to motorcycles. Pennsylvania’s required $5,000 first-party medical benefit, for example, expressly excludes “motorcycles, motor-driven cycles or motorized pedalcycles.”[4] Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can matter when the at-fault driver carries only the minimum limits. See uninsured motorist claims.
Filing deadlines, shared-fault rules and insurance minimums are set by state law. Our state law pages quote the governing statutes for each state we cover.
Frequently asked questions
How much do helmets reduce head injuries?
A Cochrane review estimated a reduction of about 69% in the risk of head injury and about 42% in the risk of death.[2]
Do all states require motorcycle helmets?
No. IIHS tracks states with universal laws, partial laws that cover only some riders, and no law.[3]
This page provides general information from the sources listed below. It is not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client or provider-patient relationship. Laws vary by state and change over time. See our legal disclaimer.
Sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Motorcycle Safety.” https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycle-safety
- Cochrane. “Helmets are shown to reduce motorcyclist head injury and death” (Review CD004333). https://www.cochrane.org/evidence/CD004333_helmets-are-shown-reduce-motorcyclist-head-injury-and-death
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “Motorcycle helmet laws by state.” https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/motorcycles/motorcycle-helmet-laws-table
- 75 Pa.C.S. § 1711. Justia. https://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/title-75/chapter-17/section-1711/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Motorcycle Safety.” https://www.cdc.gov/pedestrian-bike-safety/about/motorcycle-safety.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Motorcycle Injury Prevention,” Health Impact in 5 Years (archived). https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/policy/hi5/motorcycleinjury/index.html
- Legal Information Institute, Wex. “Negligence.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/negligence
- Legal Information Institute, Wex. “Comparative negligence.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/comparative_negligence
Sources last checked: October 11, 2026
