Motorcycles

Head injury is a leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes. Motorcycle crash statistics show that helmets are about 29 percent effective in preventing crash fatalities. That is, on average, riders wearing a helmet have a 29 percent better chance of surviving a crash than riders without a helmet.

The Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests helmets to determine whether they comply with the safety standard covering motorcycle helmets. By law, manufacturers must certify that their helmets meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218 by placing the symbol "DOT" on the back of the helmet. However, some helmets do carry the DOT label even though they do not meet those requirements.

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