June 17, 2003

Michigan law enforcement officers issued 21,482 safety belt citations during the two-week Buckle Up or Pay Up, Click It or Ticket mobilization that started May 19 and ran through June 1. A total of 333 agencies reported their citation activity to the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

These figures include 6,139 citations issued in the pilot safety belt enforcement zones. All enforcement zones received special signage announcing the enforcement activity.

Of the citations issued, 20,893 were for unbuckled adults, 364 for passengers age 4 to 15 and 219 were for children under age 4. During the last safety belt mobilization, which included the Thanksgiving holiday, 19,347 safety belt citations were written.

"It is disappointing that citation activity was still brisk, especially when signage indicated our strict enforcement of the safety belt law," said Major Timothy Yungfer, acting division director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. "Hopefully, the individuals ticketed in this enforcement project now understand the importance of wearing a safety belt."

This enforcement period included the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Although information is still preliminary, Michigan recorded six holiday traffic fatalities. According to information from the Michigan State Police, Criminal Justice Information Center, the safest Memorial Day weekend since 1972 occurred in 1982 when there were nine holiday traffic deaths.

Results from a direct observation survey of safety belt use following the mobilization should be available within four to six weeks.

Read more press releases from the Michigan State Police.