Jessica Mathews / News@whmi.com


Local law enforcement agencies and others from around the state will be cracking down on motorists who aren’t buckling up throughout the holiday weekend.

The “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt enforcement campaign is coordinated by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. OHSP Interim Director Alicia Sledge said the numbers don’t lie and as the busy summer travel season gets underway, they want to remind drivers and passengers to stay safe and wear a seat belt, every trip, every time.

In Michigan, 228 people killed in traffic crashes during 2020 were not wearing a seat belt.

During the 2020 Memorial Day weekend, there were 12 fatal crashes on Michigan roadways that resulted in 12 fatalities. One of the 12 deaths involved a driver not wearing a seat belt.

The Office says in Michigan, the seat belt usage rate in 2021 was 92.6%, down from 94.4% in 2019. The national seat belt usage rate in 2021 was 90.4%.

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.

The “Click It or Ticket” campaign is supported by federal traffic safety funds and runs through June 6th.