Safety first: Wear motorcycle helmets
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that motorcycle helmets are 67% effective in preventing brain injuries in motorcycle accidents and 37% effective in preventing deaths.
Despite that, many states do not mandate that all riders wear helmets when riding their motorcycles. The Insurance Information Institute reports that only 17 states and the District of Columbia require all riders to wear helmets when riding their motorcycles.
As of March 2022, Illinois and New Hampshire were the only two states that had no law governing motorcycle helmet usage. Many states require riders 17 and younger to wear helmets whenever they’re riding their motorcycles. Laws are somewhat more uniform in Canada, where all motorcycle riders, including passengers, are required to wear helmets at all times. However, each province and territory in Canada is free to specify the standards a helmet must meet to comply with the law.
Anyone planning to travel through Canada and/or the United States on a motorcycle should consult the laws in areas they plan to visit to ensure they’re in compliance with local laws at all times.