A few more Michiganders are buckled up than last year. A new observation study by Michigan State University finds seat belts were used 92.9% of the time in 2022 compared to 92.6% in 2021. The survey results come just a few weeks after the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center confirmed that there were 1,131 traffic fatalities in Michigan during 2021, the highest total since 2005. The state’s highest seat belt use rate was 97.9% in 2009 and the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning says each 1% increase in seat belt usage equals 100 fewer serious injuries and 10 fewer traffic deaths. The national seat belt use rate was 90.4% in 2021 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
