As of April 2024, 17 states and the District of Columbia have universal helmet laws, and 30 states have laws covering some riders (generally younger riders). Three states – Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire – have no helmet requirements.
Use the interactive map to explore state motorcycle death trends by helmet use. Size and color of state circle icons indicate the percent of unhelmeted deaths. By scrolling through the years, using the filter at the top of the map, you can see that the state colors shift toward red, indicating a higher percentage of unhelmeted deaths. Click on a state to view the proportion of motorcycle deaths by helmet use for a particular year.
- Chart
- Data Table
Source: Fatality data are an output of National Safety Council analysis of NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data, and helmet law data were retrieved from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.