Wearing a helmet while riding your motorcycle can help you avoid serious injuries in the event of a crash. In some cases, helmets are even required by law.

In the state of Utah, helmets are not required for every rider. However, all riders who are age 17 or younger must wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle in this state. Riders who violate this law may face legal penalties.

Although riders over the age of 18 are not required to wear helmets in Utah, it can still be beneficial from a legal standpoint. For example, if you are charged with a moving violation while you are both over the age of 18 and wearing protective headgear, the court will waive $8 of your fine.

However, it is still important to note that If you are in a motorcycle accident and you were not wearing protective headgear at the time of the crash, the fact that you weren't wearing a helmet will not be considered “negligence”. If you file a personal injury claim, you can still collect compensation regardless of whether you were wearing a helmet.

Other States

Helmet laws in other states differ from the laws in Utah. While some are more restrictive, others impose no helmet law at all. For example, California requires all riders to wear protective headgear regardless of their age, while Illinois has no helmet law at all. If you plan to ride your motorcycle across state lines, be sure to learn about the relevant laws before you go.

Important Statistics

Even if you are not required to wear a helmet by state law, wearing protective headgear each time you ride your motorcycle is important for safety reasons. In 2012 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nearly 5000 motorcycle riders or passengers were killed in accidents and another 93,000 were injured. During this same year, the NHTSA estimates that approximately 1,699 lives were saved because of helmet use. If all of the riders and passengers who died during this year had been wearing helmets, the NHTSA estimates that another 781 lives could have been saved.

In light of these statistics, it is clear that helmets can save lives. Thus, even if you are over the age of 18 in Utah, you should consider wearing a helmet at all times while on your motorcycle.

If you have already been involved in a motorcycle accident, you may be entitled to compensation regardless of whether you were wearing a helmet when the accident occurred. To find out whether you may be able to file a successful lawsuit against the person responsible for your crash, contact Utah Bike Law today.