Data on crashes in states where only minors are required to wear helmets show that fewer than 40 percent of the fatally injured minors are wearing helmets even though the law requires them to do so. Helmet laws that govern only minors are extremely difficult to enforce. In 1976, the Highway Safety Act was amended to remove sanctions against states without motorcycle helmet laws. Between 1976 and 1980, when compared to 1975 the year before repeals began motorcycle fatalities increased 61 percent while motorcycle registrations increased only 15 percent. Caution must be employed when comparing states to each other with motorcycle crash statistics.
States differ in their propensities for motorcycle fatalities.
The most accurate method of evaluating the impact of traffic safety measures is to compare the states crash experience against itself. Reported helmet use rates for fatally injured motorcyclists in 1997 were 57 percent for operators and 49 percent for passengers, compared with 57 percent and 45 percent, respectively, in 1996. Currently 22 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico require helmet use of all motorcycle operators and passengers. In another 25 states, only persons under a specific age, usually 18, are required to wear helmets. Three states have no law requiring helmet use.