If you don't buckle your seat belt, you could be facing a ticket and a fine from Michigan State Police.
To stress the importance of buckling up, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) recently launched a new safety campaign that includes television and radio ads, billboards, social media posts, and banners displayed at more than 600 police and public safety offices across Michigan. The effort is part of the annual Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement crackdown that runs May 20 through June 2.
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“Three out of four people ejected from a vehicle in a crash will die,” said Michael L. Prince, OHSP director. “Wearing a seat belt is the simplest thing you can do to reduce injuries and save lives. Buckle up for the ones who will miss you - every trip, every time.”
As the Memorial Day holiday approaches, officers from police departments, sheriff’s offices and the Michigan State Police will be conducting seat belt enforcement across the state during the two-week period.
Last Memorial Day, 19 people died in traffic crashes over the holiday period, almost double the number in 2017. Seat belt use is the single most effective way to stay alive in a crash. Buckling up can reduce the risk of serious injury or death in a crash by 45 percent.
In Michigan, the seat belt usage rate stands at 93.4 percent. The national seat belt use rate in 2018 was 89.6 percent.
Michigan law requires drivers, front seat passengers and passengers 15 and younger in any seating position to be buckled up. The fine and associated costs for not wearing a seat belt is $65. Children must be in a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4’9” tall, and children under 4 years old must be in the back seat.