Is it legal to wear non-DOT approved helmets in the US?

It is a good question! and a concern to new motorcycle riders

A motorcyclist could potentially be cited for not wearing a DOT approved helmet, while riding in one of the states (U.S.) that requires a motorcycle helmet. The police can pull you off the road to check on the helmets if it has a DOT sticker. Usually, they do not inspect helmets on roads, but they have the right to do it, according to the Dept Of Transportation. May get you a traffic ticket, but i have heard of this happening so far.

One concern is when, just in case, accidents happen. You can not get any claim from the insurance company with no wearing an DOT approved helmet in the state that requires wearing helmets.

Which standards offer better protection for the rider. Just about every helmet available in Europe is also available as a DOT-approved model in the U.S.

The helmets I am skeptical about are the ones that are originally designed to meet ECE approval and then are re-designed to also be Snell approved. I can tell you the truth that SNELL is the best and superior standards, but only designed for racers to absorb shocks. Personally, I'd much rather wear a DOT only or DOT/ECE helmet, which are designed for casual riders against accident impacts.

In my opinion, there's nothing at all wrong with DOT standards and, in fact, the article indicates that DOT approved helmets may offer just as much protection.

If you need a free ECE or DOT sticker, please email and contact me.