Motorcycle helmets save lives. Nothing is more precious than your life, and nothing is more important to keeping it than your head. Although it may be considered more fun to tour the roads of the Tar Heel State with nothing on your head and the wind in your hair, that is also a good way to fall victim to careless drivers, poor road conditions and other unseen hazards.

Does North Carolina require motorcyclists to wear a helmet? Yes. The law in this state requires all active bikers to wear a helmet. This applies to riders of mopeds and any similar kind of open motorized vehicle.

What kind of helmet meets the requirement in North Carolina? This is a standard set by the U.S. Department of Transportation called Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 218. This sets the manufacturer’s minimum standards for how motorcycle safety helmets can be made and the protections they have to offer. It is best to have a helmet that meets or exceeds the standards. There are novelty helmets out there that may look cool, but they are not safe and do not provide the protection required by Standard 218. 

Some of the details of Standard 218 include the exterior of compliant helmets must be made of material that can withstand the force of a sudden collision. To protect the head and brain, there must be a polystyrene foam liner at least an inch thick within it and sturdy chinstraps and solid rivets that will not break or become loose while riding. Helmets that meet the standard typically have some heft, weighing in at around 3 pounds. A full-face design is also a good indicator of a safe helmet. Helmets that meet Standard 218 are built so that nothing extends further than two-tenths of an inch from the surface of the helmet — so spikes on the helmet don’t cut it with DOT. 

How can you tell if a helmet meets Standard 218 aside from looking for the above criteria? Manufacturers of helmets that meet Standard 218 have a sticker on the outside back of the helmet with the letters “DOT.” Standard 218 also requires manufacturers to place a label on or inside the helmet stating the manufacturer’s name, model, size, month and year of manufacture, construction materials and owner’s information. Beware of DOT stickers being sold separately for motorcyclists to place on noncomplying helmets. A separate sale of a DOT sticker is a sure sign that the helmet does not meet safety criteria.
In the end, a safe helmet indicates a smart motorcycle rider who has a much better chance of survival if the unexpected happens. Here’s to safe riding.