Helmets save lives. That's not a controversial position, it’s a fact—especially for motorcycle drivers and passengers. So when a man riding a motorcycle was spotted cruising with a helmet on his head while the female passenger seated behind him went without one, a stranger decided someone needed to say something. Commenters overwhelmingly agreed with him, called out the motorcyclist, and said the woman deserves better treatment. In a video with more than 2.3 million views, Valens (@valens650) is filming from the driver's side of his car when he looks over to the left and sees a couple on a motorcycle. He immediately notices that only one of them is wearing a helmet and it's the male driver. The woman holding on to him from the back is left without any protection. Sounding frustrated, Valens rolls down his window and yells, "Where's her helmet? Give her the helmet, give her the helmet!" Was He Right To Call Out The Motorcycle Driver? Telling strangers what to do is often considered rude. In this case, however, people agreed that Valens was right to call the man out for prioritizing his own safety over that of the woman on the motorcycle. It certainly factors in that most people believe that men should prioritize women’s safety over their own. "You just raised her expectations. As you should,” a top comment reads. Tell us what you think! View Comments "He knew he was wrong, that's why he rode away,” another said. "First time riding a bike on a first date and the guy had a helmet and motorcycle jacket waiting for me," a third said. Yet another chimed in, "He doesn't care about her.” Someone else agreed, "Thank you for saying something. She needs to hear that she deserves better." One person pointed out that there could be legal implications. "Does everyone not know it’s the LAW that he has to wear it?" they wrote. Does The Law Require Helmets For Motorcyclists? Whether the passenger in this video was legally required to wear a helmet depends entirely on where they were riding. According to ConsumerShield, only 17 states and Washington, D.C. have universal helmet laws requiring all riders (drivers and passengers) to wear one regardless of age. Three states have no helmet law at all: Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire. The remaining 30 states fall somewhere in between, with helmet requirements that typically kick in for riders under a certain age, usually 17 or 20. The research on universal helmet laws is pretty consistent. A study of all 50 states from 1975 to 2004 found that states with universal helmet laws saw an 11% reduction in motorcyclist fatality rates, and that states with only partial laws saw fatality rates no different from states with no law at all. As further proof that helmets save lives, when Texas repealed its universal helmet law, helmet use dropped 30%, and fatalities jumped 21%. How Dangerous Is It To Ride A Motorcycle Without A Helmet? The numbers from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are stark. In 2023, 6,335 motorcyclists were killed, 15% of all traffic fatalities, and the highest number recorded since at least 1975. Per vehicle miles traveled, motorcyclists were about 28 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash and five times more likely to be injured. Helmets reduce the risk of head injury by up to 69%. Despite that, only 74% of motorcycle riders wore Department of Transportation-compliant helmets in 2023—meaning roughly one in four wasn't protected. While there’s a risk of injury or death in any motor vehicle collision, on motorcycles, the risk is particularly high, especially if you’re not wearing a helmet like the female passenger Valens saw. As NHTSA notes, “If you're ever in a serious motorcycle crash, the best hope you have for protecting your brain is a motorcycle helmet.” Motor1 reached out to Valens for comment via TikTok direct message and comment. We'll be sure to update this if he responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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