What is the law concerning the use of helmets for motorcyclists?

Motorcycle helmet laws actually vary widely from state to state and have changed quite a bit in the last 50 years. As it stands now, 19 states and the District of Columbia have statutes known as universal helmet laws requiring all motorcyclists to wear a helmet. Another 28 states require only some motorcyclists to wear helmets. Three states, Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire, have no motorcycle helmet use laws.

Variations in motorcycle helmet laws can be especially evident in regions such as the Northeast where there are several states within a short drive of one another. Indeed, while New Jersey has a universal helmet law, next-door Pennsylvania has a partial law regarding the use of helmets.