Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

Officials said the use of seat belts in Michigan dropped for the second year in a row.

A study conducted in May and June by Michigan State University “determined a seat belt use rate of 92.0% for Michigan. This is a 0.4 percentage point decrease from the reported rate of 92.4 in 2023 and the lowest seat belt use rate for the state since 2004, when it was 90.5%.”

The direct observation study was grant-funded.

“Every unbuckled seat belt represents a life at risk,” Director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning Katie Bower said. “It’s disheartening to see the seat belt use rate in Michigan continue to decline. We must remind everyone that safety is a shared responsibility. Every time we buckle up, we protect not just ourselves but everyone on the road.”

Seat belt use studies between 2014 and 2023 in Michigan found that front seat occupants used their seat belts between 92.4 to 94.5%, experts said. The highest rate was 97.9% in 2009, which was the highest in the country.

Bower said part of the reason for the decline could be complacency. People may disregard seat belts if they are making a short trip or if they are on a road that has a slow speed limit, but it's impossible to predict what other drivers will be doing on the road.

Authorities say there are an estimated 10 fewer traffic deaths and 100 fewer serious injuries for every percentage point increase in seat belt use. There were 1,095 fatalities on Michigan roadways in 2023.

The study did find that there were less drivers using cell phones and other handheld electronic devices. The rate dropped from 6.7% in 2023 to 5.5% in 2024.

Michigan’s Hands-Free Law took effect on June 30, 2023.

“A rate decrease of 1.2 percentage points translates to many lives being saved as drivers and passengers understand the importance of keeping their hands on the wheel at all times,” Bower said. “While there is still much work to do to decrease distracted-driving crashes, we are thrilled the Hands-Free Law has positively influenced driver behavior and has helped save lives on our roads.”

The national seat belt use rate was 91.9% in 2023, which was an increase from 91.6% in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. States are required by the NHTSA to conduct seat belt observation surveys each year.

Bower said seat belts are the easiest way to make sure trips are safer, regardless of the destination.

More information about seat belt use and the MSU study, including a county-by-county breakdown, visit the link below.