More police officers will be staked out on the roads in the week ahead checking to make sure drivers are buckled up. The annual "Click It or Ticket" campaign begins tomorrow in Michigan just before the Memorial Day holiday travel weekend.
State police will be stepping up patrols, targeting anyone who is not buckled up. Since its start in 1917, MSP troopers have been responding to traffic crashes, from 6 in 1918 to more than 43,000 in 2016.
Law enforcement agencies are working to get Michigan ranked number one again for seat belt use. In 2008 and 2009, Michigan ranked number one in seat belt use, today the state is tied for 12th. Police say the bottom line is seat belts save lives. During a vehicle crash, being buckled up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas being completely thrown out of a vehicle is almost always deadly.
The Click It or Ticket campaign is targeted to all drivers, but especially the hard-to-reach males ages 18-34 who research shows are far less likely to wear seat belts. NHTSA has been working with the States on Click It or Ticket since 2003. The special enforcement will run from May 22-June 4.
