A Pennsylvania lawmaker plans to introduce legislation requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet. Rep. Manuel Guzman, D-Berks, posted a memo about the planned bill, which would establish a universal helmet requirement in Pennsylvania, repealing current exemptions based on age or experience. Guzman said riders of fully enclosed three-wheeled motorcycles or autocycles would be exempt.”Motorcycle crashes remain a significant source of preventable death and injury in the Commonwealth. Traumatic brain injuries, in particular, are among the leading causes of fatality and long-term disability among unhelmeted riders. While Pennsylvania law currently mandates helmet use for riders under 21 or those without at least two years of experience or a safety course, data continues to show that partial helmet laws do not provide sufficient protection to the riding public,” the memo says.According to Guzman, 19 U.S. states have universal helmet laws. In 2003, lawmakers repealed the state’s helmet safety law, making it what it is today. Helmets are not required for motorcyclists over the age of 21 who have 2 years of riding experience and have completed a motorcycle safety course. Rick Gray, former Lancaster City mayor, is a longtime motorcycle rider. Gray says anytime he sees someone riding without a helmet, he remembers the multiple accidents he’s been in.”I think of the three helmets I’ve destroyed over the years, wearing them in accidents,” Gray said. “Sliding down the road, face first, so when I got up and still had a nose, I was glad that I had a helmet on.”Gray says he’s always worn a helmet, but it was his choice, too.”There’s a lot of things that don’t directly affect me that I still think the government shouldn’t be involved in, for the protection of the individual alone… I don’t think that’s the government’s place, I think that’s the individual’s place,” Gray said.According to PennDOT, Pennsylvania had 111 fatal motorcycle accidents where the driver or passenger were wearing helmets. There were 100 fatalities when the driver or passenger was not wearing a helmet.Overall, PennDOT says the number of fatal motorcycle crashes decreased from previous years in 2024 by 6.4%.Rep. Guzman didn’t give an exact timeline on when he plans to propose this legislation, but he did say in the near future. YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN | A Pennsylvania state senator says she’ll introduce legislation requiring front license plates on all vehicles. That story is here.
A Pennsylvania lawmaker plans to introduce legislation requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet.
Rep. Manuel Guzman, D-Berks, posted a memo about the planned bill, which would establish a universal helmet requirement in Pennsylvania, repealing current exemptions based on age or experience.
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Guzman said riders of fully enclosed three-wheeled motorcycles or autocycles would be exempt.
“Motorcycle crashes remain a significant source of preventable death and injury in the Commonwealth. Traumatic brain injuries, in particular, are among the leading causes of fatality and long-term disability among unhelmeted riders. While Pennsylvania law currently mandates helmet use for riders under 21 or those without at least two years of experience or a safety course, data continues to show that partial helmet laws do not provide sufficient protection to the riding public,” the memo says.
According to Guzman, 19 U.S. states have universal helmet laws.
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In 2003, lawmakers repealed the state’s helmet safety law, making it what it is today.
Helmets are not required for motorcyclists over the age of 21 who have 2 years of riding experience and have completed a motorcycle safety course.
Rick Gray, former Lancaster City mayor, is a longtime motorcycle rider. Gray says anytime he sees someone riding without a helmet, he remembers the multiple accidents he’s been in.
“I think of the three helmets I’ve destroyed over the years, wearing them in accidents,” Gray said. “Sliding down the road, face first, so when I got up and still had a nose, I was glad that I had a helmet on.”
Gray says he’s always worn a helmet, but it was his choice, too.
“There’s a lot of things that don’t directly affect me that I still think the government shouldn’t be involved in, for the protection of the individual alone… I don’t think that’s the government’s place, I think that’s the individual’s place,” Gray said.
According to PennDOT, Pennsylvania had 111 fatal motorcycle accidents where the driver or passenger were wearing helmets. There were 100 fatalities when the driver or passenger was not wearing a helmet.
Overall, PennDOT says the number of fatal motorcycle crashes decreased from previous years in 2024 by 6.4%.
Rep. Guzman didn’t give an exact timeline on when he plans to propose this legislation, but he did say in the near future.
YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN | A Pennsylvania state senator says she’ll introduce legislation requiring front license plates on all vehicles. That story is here.
