Illinois Personal Injury Attorneys

Illinois Motorcycle Helmet Use

Motorcycle safety should be a rider's primary concern while on the road. That includes wearing proper safety gear, especially a helmet. Helmets have been proven effective in helping to save lives since they cushion the head, brain and neck during impact. Statistically speaking, 50 of the 137 people killed in motorcycle crashes in 2006 would have survived had they been wearing a helmet, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The motorcycle accident attorneys of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. in Chicago, Illinois have extensive experience in helping riders and their families with legal claims. If you or someone you love has become the victim of a motorcycle accident because of another motorist's negligence, please call our qualified motorcycle injury lawyers at 1-877-249-1227 or contact us online for a free and confidential consultation.

During June 2006, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) performed a statistical (multi-stage random) observational survey to record the use of motorcycle helmets statewide on both high-volume highways and low-volume local roads and residential streets. The survey design was based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's requirements and had two characteristics.

1. The survey was conducted between 7:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. when the light was adequate for observation.
2. The survey sites included Interstate highways, freeways, county roads, state highways and a random sample of residential streets within selected areas.

There were 1,135 operators and passengers of motorcycles observed at 258 locations statewide. The survey provided a statistically representative sample of the state as a whole. Results of the motorcycle survey conducted at 258 sites in June 2006 are summarized in the Table below.

• Column (1) shows the total number of motorcycle operators and passengers observed.
• Column (2) shows the percentage of motorcycle riders who were observed using helmets.
• The categories listed on the left side of the table indicate the region where each survey was conducted (with the number of survey sites for each region in parentheses), road type, and day of the week.

Of the 1,135 motorcycle riders who were observed, 37.6 percent were wearing helmets. The City of Chicago had the highest usage rate at 43.6 percent. The Collar Counties (DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will) and Cook County had helmet usage rates of 37.9 percent and 37.7 percent respectively. The Downstate Counties (Champaign, Macon, Montgomery, Peoria, Rock Island and St. Clair) had the lowest usage rate at 34.9 percent.

Based on road type, motorcycle helmet use was the highest on Interstate highways and U.S. or Illinois highways at 38.8 percent. Helmet usage on residential roads was 36.1 percent. The helmet usage rate was 38.1 percent on the weekends. On the weekdays it was 36.8 percent.