Before you ride a motorcycle in Pennsylvania, it is important to learn all of the state laws that apply to motorcycle riders and their passengers. For example, Pennsylvania has clear rules for when a motorcyclist must wear a helmet. Obeying these laws can keep you out of legal trouble and – more importantly – protect you in a motorcycle accident.

What Is Pennsylvania’s Motorcycle Helmet Law?

Under Pennsylvania law, every motorcycle rider and passenger must wear a helmet unless he or she is over the age of 21 and either has two years of riding experience or has completed an approved motorcycle rider safety course. If a motorcyclist unlawfully rides without a helmet, he or she could receive a citation and a fine.

The Statutes of Pennsylvania Section 3525(a) states:

• § 3525.  Protective equipment for motorcycle riders. 
• (a)  Protective headgear.–Except as provided in subsection (d), no person shall operate or ride upon a motorcycle or a motor-driven cycle (other than a motorized pedalcycle) unless he is wearing protective headgear which complies with standards established by the department.

However, subsection (d) of the law lists the following exceptions to the motorcycle helmet requirement:

• The operator or any occupant of a three-wheeled motorcycle equipped with an enclosed cab.
• A person 21 years of age or older who has been licensed to operate a motorcycle for not less than two full calendar years.
• A person 21 years of age or older who has completed a motorcycle rider safety course approved by the department or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.
• The passenger of a person exempt under this subsection if the passenger is 21 years of age or older.

If a motorcycle rider does not meet the requirements of one of these exceptions, he or she is legally required to wear an approved motorcycle helmet. An “approved” helmet is one that meets the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 218) as well as Pennsylvania’s regulations for helmets, found in P.A. Code Title 67, Chapter 107.

The Importance of Wearing a Motorcycle Helmet 

Even if you qualify to not wear a motorcycle helmet under Pennsylvania law, you should do so for your own safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 2022, motorcyclists were 22 times more likely to die and 4 times more likely to be injured than passenger vehicle occupants in a motor vehicle crash. Helmets offer invaluable protection in motorcycle accidents. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in the latest year that data is available, motorcycle helmets saved an estimated 1,872 lives. Another 749 lives likely would have been saved had all motorcyclists worn helmets. The CDC also reports that motorcycle helmets are 69 percent effective in reducing the risk of head injury and 37 percent effective in preventing deaths.

Wearing protective headgear as a motorcycle rider or passenger can reduce your risk of suffering a serious traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBIs such as concussions or bleeding in the brain from a motorcycle crash can have long-lasting consequences, including permanent brain damage. Pittsburgh motorcycle accident lawyers have seen in the most severe cases, TBIs can be deadly. Wearing a helmet is also proven to decrease the risk of neck, facial and dental injuries. 

If you get involved in a motorcycle accident in Pittsburgh with or without a helmet on, contact a Pittsburgh personal injury attorney at Dallas W. Hartman, P.C. to discuss your legal rights at no cost or obligation.