• Posted March 11, 2026

Repealing Motorcycle Helmet Laws Leads to More Severe Crashes, Millions in Added Treatment Costs

Letting folks ride motorcycles without helmets can lead to worse injuries from crashes that are more expensive to treat, a new study says.

Repealing a Michigan law that required motorcycle riders to wear helmets resulted in a 26% average increase in hospital costs per crash patient, researchers recently reported in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

In many cases, these riders are uninsured or underinsured, researchers said. Hospitals must eat the increased costs, which amount to about $4.5 million a year.

"When people argue that helmet choice is solely a personal freedom issue, they overlook who ultimately pays for the treatment," said lead researcher Dr. Patrick Johnson, a surgery resident at the University of Michigan.

"A significant portion of these costs fall on public payers, taxpayers and trauma systems — meaning we all share the financial burden,” he said in a news release.

For the new study, researchers analyzed nearly 19,700 motorcycle crash patients between 2009 and 2015. They compared Michigan, which repealed its universal helmet law in April 2012, with four similar states: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Kansas and Colorado.

Researchers found that Michigan’s repeal was associated with a $5,785 increase in hospital costs per crash patient in the state – a 26% increase.

The actual costs could run even higher, as hospital costs represent only about two-thirds of medical expenses that occur after a crash, researchers said. Rehab and long-term care add to the overall expenses.

For cash-strapped hospitals, these added costs could eventually lead to closure.

"Trauma centers have a duty to care for everyone who comes through their doors, regardless of ability to pay," Johnson said. "When policy choices lead to more severe — and more expensive — injuries, that creates real downstream pressure on already strained trauma systems."

About a third of the motorcycle crash patients didn’t have auto insurance, meaning that the cost of their care often shifted to public insurance programs or was absorbed by hospitals.

The American College of Surgeons supports universal helmet laws, as helmets reduce the risk of death and head injury. These laws increase helmet use to nearly 100%.

"As more states revisit helmet legislation, policymakers need to understand the full picture, which includes financial consequences for both health care systems and taxpayers," Johnson said. "This isn't about limiting freedom. It's about understanding that individual choices can carry shared costs."

More information

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has more on universal motorcycle helmet use laws.

SOURCE: American College of Surgeons, news release, March 2, 2026