Helmet Laws in Utah

Motorcycle helmets save lives by protecting your head and brain during crashes. They substantially reduce the risk of fatal injuries and the risk of head injury. However, not every motorcyclist is required to wear a helmet while riding in Utah.

Utah’s motorcycle helmet laws are based on the age of the rider in question; those aged 21 years and younger are required to wear one, while those aged 21 and older are not. These regulations do not just affect what you must wear while riding; they can have an impact on insurance claims, legal liability, and your rights following a motorcycle crash in Utah.

Current Utah Motorcycle Helmet Requirements by Age

If you are under 21 in Utah, wearing a helmet isn’t optional—it’s the law. According to Utah Code Section 41-6a-1505, the state requires anyone under the age of 21, whether riding as the operator or a passenger, to wear a helmet that meets Department of Transportation (DOT) safety standards. This applies every time you get on a motorcycle, no exceptions.

Once you turn 21, the choice becomes yours. Utah does not require riders 21 and older to wear helmets, giving you the freedom to decide what level of protection you want. However, just because the law doesn’t require a helmet doesn’t mean the risks disappear. You can still suffer severe head injuries if you are involved in a crash.

There are exemptions to Utah’s helmet law. Riders operating motorcycles with enclosed cabs—essentially vehicles that provide structural protection similar to a car—are not required to wear helmets regardless of age. 

How to Find a DOT-Approved Helmet

Whether you are legally required to wear a helmet or choose to wear one for your own protection, make sure it is actually going to protect you. Not all helmets are created equal, and the difference between a quality helmet and a novelty helmet could literally save your life. However, a helmet is always better than not wearing one at all.

Here is how to find the right motorcycle helmet for you:

• Start by looking for the DOT certification label on the back of the helmet. This label indicates the helmet meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 218. The label should include the manufacturer’s name, model designation, and the words “DOT” and “FMVSS No. 218 CERTIFIED.” If the helmet was made before May 2013, it might simply say “DOT.”
• Examine the helmet’s features. A proper DOT-compliant helmet has specific characteristics. It should be at least one inch thick with a stiff foam inner liner designed to absorb impact. It should weigh around three pounds—substantially heavier than novelty helmets. The chin strap should be sturdy with solid rivets, not flimsy plastic buckles that could break on impact.
• Be cautious of certain helmets. Those marketed as “the thinnest” or “lightest weight” options won’t protect you in a crash. Similarly, helmets with rigid spikes or decorations that extend more than two-tenths of an inch from the surface don’t meet DOT standards. German Army-style or skullcap helmets are frequently non-compliant—they are noticeably smaller in diameter and thinner than more protective helmets.
• Find the right fit. A well-fitted helmet is just as important as a certified one. Measure your head with a cloth tape measure, starting just above your eyebrows and circling the thickest part of the back of your head. Use this measurement to reference helmet size charts from manufacturers. A properly fitted helmet should feel snug, providing even pressure around your entire head without uncomfortable pressure points. It shouldn’t shift when you shake your head, but it also shouldn’t cause pain or leave gaps.

Your Rights to Compensation Regardless of Helmet Use

If you were involved in a motorcycle crash in Utah, you have the right to pursue legal action and recover compensation for your damages. This is true regardless of whether you were wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. 

This principle matters because many injured motorcyclists worry that not wearing a helmet will automatically disqualify them from compensation or drastically reduce what they can recover. While helmet use can complicate claims, it does not eliminate your right to pursue a personal injury protection (PIP) claim or hold negligent drivers accountable.

How Helmet Use Affects Your Personal Injury Claim

Insurance companies will scrutinize whether you were wearing a helmet, and they will use it against you if they can. Adjusters often argue that injuries would have been less severe if the rider had been wearing a helmet. They will point to skull fractures, traumatic brain damage, or facial injuries and suggest that your choice not to wear a helmet contributed to the extent of your harm.

This argument can become a tool to devalue your claim, pushing for lower settlement offers than you deserve. They may use the absence of a helmet to question your judgment or to suggest you assumed the risk of more serious injuries. Even though not wearing a helmet didn’t cause the crash, insurers will try to use it to minimize their liability. 

How a Utah Motorcycle Accident Attorney Protects Your Rights

This is exactly why hiring an accident attorney in St. George matters. A lawyer who understands Utah’s helmet laws and how insurance companies operate can protect you from unfair tactics designed to shift blame onto you.

Your attorney will keep the focus where it belongs: the crash itself. They will build a case around the actual cause of your injuries, whether that’s a driver who turned left across your path, someone who was distracted by their phone, or a motorist who simply failed to see you. Your attorney will gather evidence, document the facts, and present a compelling case for full compensation.

Your lawyer will also push back against insurance company arguments that try to minimize your claim based on helmet use. They will work to ensure that any evaluation of your injuries focuses on the severity of the collision, not on after-the-fact judgments about your riding choices.

Schedule a Free, Confidential Case Evaluation with We Win Injury Law

Whether you choose to wear a helmet or not, you deserve full compensation for injuries caused by another driver’s actions. We Win Injury Law will fight back against arguments that try to shift blame onto injured motorcyclists. We will protect your right to fair compensation regardless of helmet use while building a compelling case focused on the true cause of your injuries: the other driver’s failure to yield, distracted driving, or other reckless behavior. Contact us at (435) 688-9558 for a free consultation with our Utah motorcycle accident lawyers.