Proposed PA Law Would Impact Motorcycle Riders

PENNSYLVANIA — A state lawmaker plans to introduce a bill that requires all motorcycle operators and passengers, regardless of age or riding experience, to wear protective headgear.

Democratic Rep. Manuel Guzman of Berks County's proposed bill would repeal current exemptions on helmet requirements.

"Motorcycle crashes remain a significant source of preventable death and injury in the commonwealth," Guzman wrote in a memo to colleagues seeking support for the pending legislation.

"Traumatic brain injuries, in particular, are among the leading causes of fatality and long-term disability among un-helmeted 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."

Guzman said his proposed legislation would exempt those in three-wheeled motorcycles and autocycles.

Guzman noted that 19 states and the District of Columbia already have enacted universal helmet laws.

"Motorcycle helmets save lives," he wrote in the memo. "It’s time Pennsylvania joins the majority of states that protect all riders equally."

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration says that motorcyclists"continue to be over-represented in fatal traffic crashes."

In 2023, the last year for which statistics were available, there were 6,335 motorcyclists nationwide killed — 15 percent of all traffic fatalities. It was the highest number of motorcyclists who died in crashes since at least 1975.

The agency did not provide a specific state breakdown for deadly motorcycle wrecks.