Motorcycle Crash Medical Costs May Increase More Than 25% Per Year After Universal Helmet Laws Are Repealed: Study

Researchers estimate the repeal led to about $6.4 million in additional annual inpatient health care spending in Michigan alone.

As universal motorcycle helmet laws continue to rollback nationwide, new research highlights the impact the efforts are having on hospital costs associated with treating motorcycle accident injuries, with much of that cost ultimately paid by taxpayers, public insurers and trauma systems.

In findings published in the Journal of American College of Surgeons on March 2, researchers indicate the average cost per patient after a motorcycle crash increased by about 26% after universal helmet requirements were repealed.

Motorcycle crashes accounted for about 15% of all traffic deaths in 2023, with riders nearly 28 times more likely to die in a crash than occupants of passenger vehicles. Among motorcyclists killed that year, 51% were not wearing helmets, compared to about 10% in states that maintain universal helmet laws.

Prior research has linked easing helmet requirements to a sharp rise in unhelmeted riders involved in crashes, with the proportion of motorcycle trauma patients without helmets more than doubling over a six year period. Riders who do not wear helmets are also about twice as likely to suffer serious head or facial injuries.

Safety experts say requiring helmets nationwide could reduce annual motorcyclist fatalities by roughly 10 percent. However, universal helmet laws have been repealed in 33 states.

For the new study, researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School and the University of Michigan Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Policy studied how Michigan’s 2012 repeal of its universal motorcycle helmet law affected inflation-adjusted inpatient costs. 

Led by Patrick L. Johnson, MD, MPH, the researchers analyzed data from 19,685 crash patients in five states between 2009 and 2015 and compared Michigan with four similar states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas and Colorado.

The findings suggest that the repeal was associated with a $5,785, or 26%, increase in inflation-adjusted costs per crash patient in Michigan. Adjusted to 2025 dollars, the repeal corresponded to $6.4 million in excess annual inpatient spending in Michigan alone over the study period.

Researchers note that inpatient costs account for only about two-thirds of acute medical expenses after a crash, meaning the true financial impact, including rehabilitation and long-term care, is likely substantially higher.

The study also found that about one-third of patients lacked auto insurance as their primary payer. As a result, the costs of their care often shifted to public insurance programs or were absorbed by hospitals, potentially threatening the financial stability of hospitals and their ability to provide care for communities.

“When people argue that helmet choice is solely a personal freedom issue, they overlook who ultimately pays for the treatment. A significant portion of these costs fall on public payers, taxpayers, and trauma systems—meaning we all share the financial burden.”

— Patrick L. Johnson, MD, MPH, Downstream Medical Cost of Repealing Universal Motorcycle Helmet Laws

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