While Pennsylvania law may not require motorcycle helmet use, savvy riders know that wearing a helmet and other protective gear can keep them much safer in the event of an accident. Motorcycles offer relatively little protection from the road or another vehicle that strikes the driver. A helmet, on the other hand, may offer protection. Helmet Use Reduces TBI Traumatic brain injury can have severe repercussions in many areas of the injured party’s life. A traumatic brain injury can interfere with a patient’s short-term and long-term memory and processing ability. Furthermore, traumatic brain injury can cause a patient to struggle with emotional regulation, which may make it very difficult for the patient to deal with other people or potential challenges faced during the normal course of a workday. Traumatic brain injury can also cause patients to suffer from headaches and sleep disturbances. Wearing a helmet, however, can significantly decrease the risk of a traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident. Wearing a helmet may also help patients avoid the full severity they might face if they got into an accident without a helmet. Helmet Use Decreases Neck Injuries Riders who fail to wear motorcycle helmets have twice the risk of injuries to the neck in an accident; Neck injuries can cause substantial complications. Some patients with neck injuries will suffer from ongoing pain whenever they turn their heads, which can interfere with much of their daily function. In other cases, neck injuries can turn out far worse: patients with a spinal cord injury, for example, may suffer from paralysis below the site of the injury. A motorcycle helmet can cushion and protect against a severe neck injury, which may help many patients stay safer. Helmet Use Reduces Facial Injuries A motorcycle accident can result in severe facial injuries, including road rash and broken bones in the face. Even when working with a plastic surgeon, patients may not fully restore their former appearance following severe facial injuries. Failure to wear a motorcycle helmet may also increase the risk of significant dental injuries in the accident. A motorcycle helmet, particularly one with a face shield, can provide a great deal of protection to the face, keeping the rider safer. Wearing a Helmet Can Reduce the Risk of Death in an Accident Wearing a motorcycle helmet leads to a 42 percent reduction in the risk that you will die in a motorcycle accident. Head injuries can cause death immediately, as can severe injuries to the neck. Having a correctly-worn helmet in place can significantly reduce the risk of death in an accident. Motorcycle riders often represent a disproportionately high rate of auto accident deaths, even though they make up a relatively small percentage of the drivers on the road.