A recent investigation by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) highlights fatal motorcycle accidents over several decades and advocates for stronger road safety regulations at the state level.
The findings reveal that approximately 20,000 motorcyclists who tragically lost their lives in crashes across the United States since the 1970s might have survived if more rigorous helmet laws had been enforced. This nonprofit organization focuses on minimizing injuries from traffic incidents.

According to the IIHS, a staggering 22,058 lives could have been spared if every state mandated helmet use for all riders from 1976 to 2022. This estimate indicates that about 11% of rider fatalities during this time could have been avoided.
Currently, only 17 states along with the District of Columbia enforce universal helmet laws.

The IIHS reports that more than 6,000 motorcyclists were killed in both 2021 and 2022, representing the most recent data available. The organization estimates that implementing all-encompassing helmet laws in additional states could potentially reduce motorcycle-related deaths by as much as 10%.

“We recognize that a universal helmet law might not be well-received among all motorcyclists, but such measures could prevent hundreds of fatalities annually,” stated Eric Teoh, the IIHS’s director of statistical services and the report’s author. “Each of these fatalities represents someone’s loved one — their friends, parents, and children.”

Interestingly, the study found that helmet usage has increased in both regions with and without mandatory laws; however, utilization rates in states with helmet laws were typically two to three times greater than those in states without such regulations throughout the study period.