Massachusetts
Youth Helmet Law 
(For Persons 16 and Under) 

MGL CH 85, Sec. 11B Effective November 25,2004

Any person 16 years of age or younger must wear a properly fastened bicycle helmet when riding as the driver or passenger of a bicycle, a skateboard, in line skates, or a scooter.

This law applies to:

• What: Any manually-propelled wheeled
• Who: Both operators and passengers
• Where: Streets, bike paths, sidewalks, park, parking lots or other public ways.
• How: The helmet must fit the person’s head and be secured by straps at all times.

This law does not apply to:

• Child passengers in an enclosed trailer
• Children under one year old must not be transported on a bicycle.

For more information:

Injury Prevention and Control Program
Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health, Bureau of Family & Community Health
250 Washington Street, 4^th Floor, Boston, MA 02108-4619
1-800-CAR-SAFE
www.mass.gov/dph/fch/injury