Human Interest Family Pleads with Motorcyclists to Wear Helmets After Death of 25-Year-Old Father Joel Garcia died following a motorcycle accident in Indiana last month, and his family believes he may have survived if he had worn a helmet By Jason Hahn Jason Hahn Jason Hahn is a former Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He started at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter in 2017 and interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 2, 2022 07:31PM EDT Photo: Go Fund Me An Indiana family is encouraging motorcyclists to wear helmets after a young father died in an accident last month. According to a GoFundMe set up by his family, 25-year-old Joel Garcia crashed his motorcycle on July 25 in Gary, a city located along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. According to the donation page and the Times of Northwest Indiana, Garcia succumbed to his injuries at a Chicago hospital on July 28 after the accident left him without brain activity. "He was a loving and caring son and brother, and there are no words that can describe his love for his daughter, Anais," his family said in a statement to the Times. "His big, huge smile and loud, obnoxious laugh will be deeply missed." The family told the outlet that Garcia began riding motorcycles several years ago, and they believed he may have survived the crash if he had worn a helmet. Father of 15 Dies After Being Struck by Lightning During Storm: 'He Was Our Everything,' Says Wife "Joel may have survived this horrific accident had he been wearing his helmet," the family told the Times. "His mother asks that anyone riding a motorcycle please take the time to put on a helmet, so that their loved ones don't experience a loss like hers," they added. Indiana has no universal helmet laws for motorcycle riders and only requires those under the age of 18 to wear a helmet and eye protection. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the state repealed its universal helmet law in 1977. 'Wonderful' Father of 3 Dies at Work After Falling Into Metal-Melting Container: 'A Hard-Working Teddy Bear' The federal government once required all states to enact a universal helmet law for motorcyclists, but Congress revoked the government's authority to penalize states that did not comply in 1976, per GHSA. RELATED VIDEO: 53-Year-Old Man Dies After Saving Woman from Drowning in Colorado River: 'Definition of a True Hero' Today, only about half of U.S. states require helmets for all motorcyclists, while three — Illinois, Iowa, and New Hampshire — have no helmet laws at all. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 5,579 motorcyclists died in crashes in 2020, the highest number recorded. The Centers for Disease Control said the U.S. could save $1.5 billion in economic costs if all motorcyclists wore helmets.