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Seat Belt Usage Survey

Seat Belt Usage Survey

2025 Seat Belt Usage Survey

As required by the code of federal regulations (23 CFR Part 1340), the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) works with an awarded agency to determine what the state’s seat belt and handheld mobile device (phones, tablets, cameras, handheld gaming devices, etc.) use rates are in passenger motor vehicles on Michigan roadways. Michigan State University is the current awarded agency.

The NHTSA 200-Site Seat Belt and Handheld Mobile Device Use Survey:

  • The official 200-site survey requires NHTSA’s approval of all selected survey locations and methodology every five years.
  • The survey itself occurs annually, and results are reviewed by NHTSA. 
  • Among the top 38 counties with the most crashes, 35 counties are selected to represent Michigan’s seat belt use rates.
  • Takes place in the weeks directly after the Click-It or Ticket enforcement period in Michigan in the months of May and June.
  • Occurs each day of the week during daylight hours with sites being observed in 60-minute intervals.
  • Takes place on thru-traffic lanes located at intersections with a stop light or stop sign to slow traffic.
  • Randomly samples cars driving past, excluding heavy trucks, buses, or other vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds. 
  • Reports its official seat belt use rate as a weighted average, which means the road length, sample size, population size, and other factors, are taken into account when trying to determine the usage rate for an entire population based on the observations made.

Michigan 2025 survey results:

    • The NHTSA 200-Site Seat Belt and Handheld Mobile Device Use Survey showed that seat belts were used 93.2 percent of the time in 2025.
    • The NHTSA 200-Site Seat Belt and Handheld Mobile Device Use Survey showed mobile devices were used by drivers 5.7 percent of the time in 2025. 

    2025 NHTSA 200_Site Seat Belt Survey Report (FINAL)

    Additional Information

    The OHSP has also developed a supplemental 83-county survey to obtain more information on counties that are not included in the official 200-site survey. Please contact Ms. Jordan Smith at SmithJ228@michigan.gov for information, reports, or graphics on this topic.