NEWS RELEASE
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
*************************
The goal is zero fatalities and serious injuries on Michigan roads through the implementation of the Safe System Approach. Since last week, 13 people died on Michigan roadways making a total of 945 this year. In addition, 143 more were seriously injured for a statewide total of 5,193 to date.
Compared to last year at this time, there are the same amount of fatalities and 26 fewer serious injuries.
Numbers are provided by the Michigan State Police.
Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.
During the Thanksgiving holiday, whether you’re driving cross-country or across the street, whether it is day or night, and no matter the type of vehicle, please buckle up. That seat belt may very well mean the difference between life and death.
Remember to Buckle Up
- The right seat belt fit matters. The shoulder belt should lay flat across the middle of your chest and away from your neck. The lap belt should fit across your hips, not your stomach. Never put the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.
- Seat belts are the best defense against impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers. Being buckled up during a crash helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle; the seat belt slows you down and spreads crash forces over the strongest parts of your body.
- Despite steady increases in observed seat belt use, approximately half of all passenger vehicle deaths are unrestrained.
The Consequences
- Buckling up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas not buckling up can result in being totally ejected from the vehicle in a crash, which is almost always deadly.
- Improperly wearing a seat belt, such as putting the strap below your arm, puts you and your children at risk in a crash.
- Air bags are not enough to protect you; in fact, the force of an air bag can seriously injure or even kill you if you’re not buckled up.
Michigan’s seat belt use rate fell slightly for the second year in a row, according to the results from a grant-funded direct observation study. The 2024 study determined a seat belt use rate of 92.0%. This is a 0.4% 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%.
Every 1% increase in seat belt use means an estimated 10 fewer traffic deaths and 100 fewer serious injuries. In 2023, there were 1,095 fatalities on Michigan roadways.
The Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) has produced two videos titled “Perfect World” and “Something Stops You” to help address the situation by raising awareness and educating drivers about the importance of using their seat belts. For a county-by-county look at Michigan’s seat belt use rate, as well as more information about the study and its methodology, visit the OHSP seat belt webpage.
Remember, wearing a seat belt is one of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make. Buckle Up. Every Trip. Every Time.
*************************
