LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) –Monday is the day to buckle up those belts on Michigan roads.
As you start road-tripping for the summer, state police will be flashing their red and blue lights to remind you to buckle your seatbelt.
The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) has announced a “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt enforcement campaign, from May 15-June 4.
Police officers from local departments, sheriff’s offices and the Michigan State Police (MSP) will enforce seat belt use for the three-week campaign.
During Memorial Day weekend of 2021, 14 crashes on Michigan roads resulted in 14 fatalities, according to OHSP.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found wearing a seat belt in the front seat can decrease risk of serious injury or death in a crash by 45%.
“Wearing a seat belt is the most effective thing you can do to reduce injuries and save lives—and buckling up should be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said Katie Bower, OHSP director.
In 2021, the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found that 254 deaths from car crashes were caused by not wearing a seat belt.
That’s an increase of 11.4% from 2020, when there were 228 fatalities.
From 2019-2022, the seat belt usage rate in Michigan fell from 94.4% to 92.9%.
The NHTSA found that men are disproportionately the one’s not wearing their seatbelts. Around 67% of passengers killed in car crashes nationwide are men.
Around 55% of men killed in crashes that year were unrestrained, compared to 43% of women killed in crashes.
Michigan law requires every driver and front-seat passenger to wear their seat belt, along will all passengers ages 15 and younger.
Children are required to be in a car seat or a booster seat until eight years old or until 4-foot-9 tall, and all passengers under age 4 must be in the back seat.
Drivers will be fined $65 as well as other costs for not wearing their seat belt.
