The Michigan Department of Transportation urges all motorists to wear their seatbelt at all times when travelling in a car. Michigan State Police has recently calculated that, compared to last year, there are 59 fewer fatalities and 136 fewer serious injuries recorded on Michigan roads; much of the reduction is due to increased seatbelt usage.
Last year, a group at Michigan State University concluded that 93.2% of motorists and their passengers in Michigan wear their seatbelt, which is an increase from an even 92% in the previous year. Michigan’s primary seatbelt law went into effect in 2000, and since then an estimated 4,614 lives have been saved due to their use.
This year, 117 police departments, including sheriff’s offices and the Michigan State Police, have increased traffic patrols in a “Click it or Ticket” campaign aimed at increasing the percentage of people wearing their seatbelt. Almost 2,300 drivers were cited for improper seatbelt wear in addition to 29 citations for improper child restraints.
Seatbelts remain a low-effort yet effective way to increase your safety when travelling in a motor vehicle and it is the law to wear one at all times when on the road.
