The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released data on motorcycle helmet use in 2013. Motorcycle helmet use remained the same in 2013 from the previous year, at 60 percent.
The NHTSA differentiates between two kinds of helmets: DOT-compliant helmets and noncompliant helmets. DOT-compliant helmets meet the safety requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.
DOT-compliant helmet use is more common than noncompliant helmets:
- In 2013, seven percent of motorcyclists wore noncompliant helmets
- In 2012, 60 percent of motorcyclists wore DOT-compliant helmets
The NHTSA noted many other trends in the data on motorcycle helmet use:
- 92 percent of motorcycle riders in the western states wore helmets (this is a 10 percent increase from 2012)
- States that require a rider to wear a motorcycle helmet saw the highest use compared to other states.
- Between 1996 and 2013, the range in helmet use has gone from as high as 71 percent in 2000 to a low of 48 percent in 2005
- 33 percent of motorcyclists did not wear a helmet
- States requiring helmet use averaged 88 percent of riders using a helmet; states that do not require helmet use averaged at 49 percent
- Only 20 states have laws requiring a motorcyclist to wear a helmet. Texas does not require helmet use
- 65 percent of motorcyclists in the south wear a helmet
- Interestingly, 71 percent of motorcyclists wear a helmet when there is light fog, but only 62 percent wear a helmet when there is precipitation
I Was Injured in a Motorcycle Accident Without a Helmet. What Can I Do?
If you have been involved in a motorcycle accident without a helmet on, insurance companies may try to blame you for your injuries. However, Texas does not mandate the use of a helmet on a motorcycle. Do not allow insurance companies to excuse a reckless motorist for injuring you just because you were not wearing a helmet. Click here for more information.
Did You Know? According to the NHTSA, 46 percent of passengers on motorcycles wear a helmet in the United States.
The Law Offices of Aaron Allison – Austin Personal Injury Attorney
