(WWJ) Do you always buckle up?
Police and state safety officials are concerned that fewer people are wearing seat belts in Michigan these days.
According to a grant-funded study by Michigan State University, Michigan’s seat belt use rate has decreased sharply, dropping from 94.4% in 2019 to 92.6% in 2021.
This is the state’s lowest seatbelt compliance rate since 2004.
“The seat belt use numbers are moving in the wrong direction, and it’s important to turn things around as quickly as possible,” said Michael Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). “Seat belts are the cornerstone of any effective traffic safety strategy. We must continually remind drivers and passengers of all ages to buckle up, every trip, every time.”
Michigan’s all-time belt use record was 97.9% in 2009. According to OHSP, every 1% increase in seat belt use means an estimated 10 fewer traffic deaths and 100 fewer serious injuries.
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The survey results come just a few weeks after the Michigan State Police reported 2020 traffic deaths were above 1,000 for the first time in three years. As a way to get more people to buckle up, the state is conducting a statewide campaign this week to enforce seat belt and impaired-driving laws.
The OHSP also has also launched an advertising effort encouraging rear seat belt use, including a video titled “Backseat Excuses.”