According to a grant-funded study by Michigan State University that involved firsthand observation, seat belt use in Michigan has decreased for the second year in a row. The utilization rate was 92.0 percent as of 2024, which was 0.4 percentage points lower than the 92.4 percent in 2023. Notably, this number is the lowest recorded since 2004.
“Every unbuckled seat belt represents a life at risk,” stated Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning Director Katie Bower. Bower stated, “It’s discouraging to see the seat belt use rate in Michigan continue to decline,” according to the Michigan State Police Newsroom. Everyone has to be reminded that everyone shares responsibility for safety. Everyone on the road is protected when we buckle up, not just ourselves. Her office draws attention to the variation in seat belt use among front-seat passengers over the last ten years, with a historical peak of 97.9 percent in 2009.
On the other hand, Michigan has seen a bright spot in the decrease in drivers’ use of portable devices. According to the same survey’s findings, the percentage of people using handheld devices while driving decreased from 6.7% in 2023 to 5.5% in 2024. The favorable effects of Michigan’s Hands-Free Law, which went into force in the middle of 2023, are responsible for this development.
Bower stated that “a rate decrease of 1.2 percentage points translates to many lives being saved as drivers and passengers understand the importance of keeping their hands on the wheel at all times,” according to the Michigan State Police Newsroom. The Office is hopeful that the Hands-Free Law will reduce distracted driving accidents and save lives in the short term. This is the case even though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found that for every percentage point increase in seat belt use, there are around 10 fewer traffic fatalities and 100 fewer serious injuries. “Perfect World” and “Something Stops You,” two instructional movies, are among the initiatives Michigan is taking to solve this urgent problem.
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