Michigan Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcements kick off Monday
(Photo: Alexandria Gilliott/Unsplash)
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michigan police are cracking down on people who do not wear seat belts.
The three-week Click It or Ticket campaign started Monday. During this time, which includes Memorial Day Weekend, police across the state will step up seat belt enforcement.
"Wearing a seat belt is the most effective thing drivers can do to reduce injuries and save lives on our roadways," said Alicia Sledge, Office of Highway Safety Planning interim director. "The numbers don’t lie. For decades, we have strongly encouraged everyone to buckle up, and that crucial message has saved many lives."
There were 228 people who were not wearing seat belts killed in Michigan crashes in 2020.
In Michigan, the seat belt usage rate in 2021 was 92.6 percent, down from 94.4 percent in 2019. The national seat belt usage rate in 2021 was 90.4 percent, OHSP said.
"As the busy summer travel season gets underway, we want to remind drivers and passengers to stay safe and wear a seat belt, every trip, every time," Sledge said.
Michigan law requires drivers, front-seat passengers, and passengers 15 and younger in any seating position to be buckled up. Children must be in a car seat or booster seat until they are 8 years old or 4 feet, 9 inches tall, and children under 4 years old must be in the back seat.
The fine and associated costs for not wearing a seat belt is $65.