Michigan Launches Click It or Ticket Seat Belt Enforcement Campaign

The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) has announced the launch of a “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign scheduled to run from May 18 to May 31, 2026. The initiative is designed to emphasize the critical importance of wearing seat belts to reduce traffic-related fatalities across the state.

During this two-week period, which encompasses the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the Michigan State Police (MSP) will conduct active seat belt enforcement. They will be joined by officers from various local and county police agencies throughout Michigan to increase visibility and compliance on the roads.

The campaign is part of a broader collaborative effort known as the SAFER by 2030 initiative, which involves multiple state agencies and traffic safety organizations working together to improve roadway safety.

Fatality Statistics and Trends

The push for increased enforcement comes amid concerning safety data provided by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. According to the institute, 222 people who died in traffic crashes in 2024 were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident.

A detailed breakdown of the 2024 fatalities reveals that the majority of these deaths occurred in the front of the vehicle. Specifically, 202 vehicle occupants were killed while not wearing seat belts in the front seat, while 12 occupants were killed in the rear seat. An additional eight fatalities occurred in other or unknown seating positions.

Longer-term data from 2020 to 2024 further highlights the demographic impact of seat belt non-compliance. During this five-year span, 858 males and 313 females who were killed in crashes were found to be not wearing seat belts.

Alicia Sledge, the director of the OHSP, stressed the preventable nature of these deaths in relation to the upcoming summer travel season.

“Each year for the last five years, Michigan has lost more than 200 people in crashes where a seat belt could have saved a life. As the temperatures rise and summer travel picks up on our busy roadways, we’re reminding everyone to buckle up, no matter how short the trip.”

Alicia Sledge, OHSP director

Michigan Seat Belt Laws

Michigan operates under a primary seat belt law. This legal designation grants police officers the authority to stop a motorist and issue a ticket based solely on the observation that the driver or passengers are not wearing a seat belt, without requiring another traffic violation to justify the stop.

The state maintains that this primary enforcement approach has had a significant impact on public safety. It’s estimated that more than 1,900 lives have been saved since 2015 as a direct result of Michigan’s primary seat belt law.