State Rep Manuel Guzman, D-Reading, is pictured during a public hearing in Reading earlier this year.

A state lawmaker is planning to introduce legislation that would expand Pennsylvania’s motorcycle helmet law.

State Rep. Manuel Guzman, D-Reading, is circulating a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation he is drafting that would require all motorcycle operators and passengers–regardless of age or riding experience–to wear protective headgear.

“Motorcycle crashes remain a significant source of preventable death and injury in the commonwealth,” Guzman wrote in his co-sponsorship memorandum. “Traumatic brain injuries, in particular, are among the leading causes of fatality and long-term disability among unhelmeted riders. While Pennsylvania law currently mandates helmet use for riders under 21 or those without at least two years of experience or a safety course, data continues to show that partial helmet laws do not provide sufficient protection to the riding public.”

Pennsylvania law requires that any person who operates or rides a motorcycle (including an autocycle) must wear protective headgear unless the rider is over 21 years of age or older and has either two years of riding experience or has completed a motorcycle safety course approved by PennDOT or the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. In addition, the operator or an occupant of a three-wheeled motorcycle or autocycle equipped with an enclosed cab is exempt from wearing a helmet.

To comply with the Pennsylvania Motorcycle Helmet Law, motorcycle helmets must meet the standards approved by the United States Department of Transportation indicated by the “DOT” sticker on the helmet. The helmet must be labeled with the name or identification of the maker, precise model designation, size and the month and year the helmet was made.

The “DOT” sticker can be centered on the back of the outer shell of the helmet. Only the “DOT” sticker is required on the outside of the helmet. The remaining information must be legibly labeled so it can be read without removing padding or any other permanent part of the helmet.

Motorcyclists also are required to wear protective eye wear.

Guzman’s proposal would continue to exempt three-wheeled motorcycles and autocycles from helmet regulations.

As of 2025, 19 states and the District of Columbia have enacted universal helmet laws, requiring all riders and passengers to wear helmets–regardless of age or experience – including California, New York, Maryland, Oregon and North Carolina.

“Motorcycle helmets save lives,” Guzman wrote. “It’s time for Pennsylvania to join the group of states that prioritize the safety of all riders equally.”