A Michigan State University study finds seat belt usage rates are up slightly from last year.
The MSU study shows seat belt law compliance in Michigan went up from 92.6% in 2021 to 92.9% this year.
Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning spokesperson Kendall Wingrove says the department is excited about the increase after usage dropped down from around 94% in recent years.
“That doesn’t sound like much,” he explained. “But that drop was significant to us, and so to have the rates stabilize and go up even slightly was good news.”
Michigan’s compliance rate peaked at 98% in 2009.
Wingrove points out that traffic fatalities in Michigan and across the county last year were at their highest level since 2005. There were 1,131 traffic deaths in the state.
The department is running a campaign through the end of July to enforce seat belt and other safety laws, including two new commercials.