Uncertified Motorcycle Helmets May Endanger Lives

November 2008

Popular decals for motorcycle helmets include fake bullet holes, the American flag, and stickers that say "DOT." U.S. highway safety officials are concerned about the last sticker, because it can be used to counterfeit Department of Transportation (DOT) safety certification on novelty helmets, which officials say are partially responsible for rising motorcycle accident fatalities.

Federal officials have proposed new labeling rules that they feel will protect riders in motorcycle accidents. The new system would require DOT-symbol decals to be applied underneath the helmet's clear coating, the manufacturer's name and helmet model to be added to the symbol, and the word "certified" added below it. The new rule would also improve the tests manufacturers perform to certify their helmets to meet DOT standards for impact, retention, and penetration. Regulators predict that 346 to 649 lives could be saved if there was 100 percent compliance with the new regulations.

According to the proposal, wearing a federally certified helmet reduces the risk of dying in a motorcycle crash by 37 percent, and the chances of brain injury are three times more likely if a helmet is not worn during an accident. Motorcycle helmet laws vary from state to state. Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire are helmet-free states, and 27 others, like Pennsylvania, require helmet use by some riders, usually under a certain age.

Motorcycle ridership has increased with higher gas prices and older riders, called renaissance riders, taking to the roads. Motorcycle accident fatalities have increased as well – in 1997 there were 2,116 deaths and in 2006 there were 4,810.