The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is holding extra seat belt enforcement statewide through November 29.
- Too many motorists are making the dangerous decision to drive or ride in a vehicle unbelted.
- Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 1, preliminary reports show 85 unbelted motorists died on Minnesota roads this year, compared with 61 this time last year.
- This year is the highest number of unbelted fatalities (10) of 15-19-year-olds since 2013 (10).
- This year is the highest number of unbelted fatalities (28) of 25-39-year-olds since 2012 (32).
- It’s the highest overall year-to-date unbelted fatalities since 2012 (97).
- More than 300 agencies will be enforcing the seat belt law and reminding motorists to drive smart during the Click It or Ticket campaign Nov. 16-29.
Seat Belt History: Buckle Up to Continue Positive Gains
- According to the 2019 Minnesota Seat Belt Survey, 93.4 percent of front seat occupants are wearing their seat belts.
- In 2019, 73 unbelted motorists lost their lives on Minnesota roads, compared with 96 in 2018.
- In 1987, 4,176 vehicle occupants suffered severe injuries in traffic crashes. That number dropped to 1,052 in 2019.
The Law is for Safety
- Minnesota law states that drivers and passengers in all seating positions must wear seat belts or be in the correct child restraint. Officers will ticket unbelted drivers or passengers. Occupants must correctly wear seat belts low and snug across the hips, and they should never tuck straps under an arm or behind the back.
- In Minnesota, all children must be in a child restraint until they are 4 feet 9 inches tall, or at least age 8, whichever comes first.
- Rear-facing seats – All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they have reached the height and weight limits allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
- Forward-facing seats with harness – Toddlers and preschoolers who have reached the height and weight limits of the rear-facing car seat should use a forward-facing seat with harness until they reach the weight limit of the harness allowed by the car seat manufacturer.
- Booster seats – School-age children who have reached the height and weight limits of the forward-facing seat can sit on a booster seat. It must be used with a lap and shoulder belt.
- Seat belts – Children 8 years old or have reached 4 feet 9 inches tall can buckle up with seat belts. Your child is ready for an adult seat belt when they can sit with their back against the vehicle seat, knees bent comfortably and completely over the vehicle seat edge without slouching, and feet touching the floor.
To kick off the Click it or Ticket campaign, Minnesota law enforcement agencies are participating in the national Border to Border (B2B) initiative on Nov. 16. The one-day national seat belt awareness event provides increased seat belt enforcement at state borders, sending a zero-tolerance message to the public.
