Always wear a helmet on a bike to stay safe, even if the law doesn't require it

It's not required by law for a bicycle rider or passenger to wear a helmet in Pennsylvania unless they are under 12 years old. But the Pa. Department of Transportation advises all bicyclists of every age to wear a helmet. Helmets should be certified by the American Standards Institute, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the Snell Memorial Foundation, or the Consumer Product Safety Commission. They reduce the odds of head injury by 50 percent, and the odds of head, face, or neck injury by 33 percent.