September’s Click It or Ticket campaign encourages all drivers and passengers to make the life-saving choice to buckle up

ST. PAUL — The percentage of people buckling up reached a near all-time high of 94.7 percent this year when comparing data from 2010 through 2024. The Click It or Ticket campaign is beginning Sept. 15 to protect even more lives on Minnesota roads.

Troopers, deputies and officers will be participating in a statewide seat belt and child passenger safety campaign Sept. 15 through 21. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) coordinates the extra enforcement and awareness with funding provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The campaign includes overtime enforcement and advertising in support of the Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program.

“The increase in Minnesotans buckling up is very encouraging, but until every person wears their seat belt, the deadly risks are all too real,” said OTS Director Mike Hanson. “It’s so simple to take two seconds to buckle up, and you may not get a second chance in a crash. Our law enforcement partners are helping people understand the law and why it’s so important for their safety.”

Annual observational seat belt survey returns encouraging news

OTS funds an annual seat belt survey that documents seat belt use among drivers and front-seat passengers. Overall, more people are buckling up on Minnesota roads.

• When looking at available survey data dating back to 2010, the 2024 rate of 94.7 percent is the highest rate recorded since 2013 (94.8 percent).

• The overall seat belt use rate in 2024 increased by 0.5 percent over 2023 (94.7 percent vs. 94.2 percent).

• This represents the fourth consecutive increase since 2021.

Young adults, male occupants and pickup drivers behind increase

• When looking at data from 2010 through 2024, this year’s results showed encouraging developments among populations of ongoing concern.

• Three groups helped drive the increase in seat belt use: young adults who are 16 to 29 years old, male occupants (drivers and front-seat passengers), and pickup drivers.

• The percentage of young adults choosing to wear a seat belt rose to a 10-year high of 93.6 percent.

• Male occupants increased to 93.6 percent from 92.6 percent last year.

Pickup drivers hit an all-time high of 91.9 percent.

Obey the law to prevent serious or fatal injuries in a crash

• Minnesota law requires all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts or be in the correct car seat or booster seat. Belts should be tight across the hips or thighs. Properly position the shoulder belt across the chest and never tuck it under the arm or behind the back.

• Preliminary counts show 84 unbelted motorists died on Minnesota roads in 2023 compared with 87 in 2022 and 110 in 2021.

• In 1987, 4,176 vehicle occupants suffered severe injuries in traffic crashes. That number was 1,285 last year.

Updated Minnesota car seat law and guidelines

Minnesota’s updated Child Passenger Safety Law provides new guidance for car seats, booster seats and seat belts. Instead of just relying on the child’s size, the law specifies ages for rear- and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts (subject to weight and height depending on the child seat manufacturer). In addition, the booster seat requirement has been increased from 8 to 9 years old.

The age guidelines include:

• Birth to at least 2 years old:

Rear-facing in an infant or convertible car seat.

• At least 2 years old and has outgrown the rear-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight:

Forward-facing with an internal harness.

• 4 years old and has outgrown the forward-facing seat with internal harness by height or weight:

Ride restrained in a belt-positioning booster seat using the lap belt and shoulder belt.

• 9 years old or has outgrown the booster seat and the child can pass the five-step test that demonstrates how the seat belt fits correctly:

Ride restrained with a lap belt and shoulder belt secured correctly on the vehicle seat.

• Additionally, children under 13 years old must sit in the back seat if possible.

If a child can be placed in more than one category, then the child must be placed in the more protective category (rear-facing being the most protective category).