Seat belt use in Michigan has dropped for the second consecutive year, according to a study by Michigan State University, funded by a grant and involving direct observation. As of 2024, the usage rate sat at 92.0 percent, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the 92.4 percent recorded in 2023. This figure is notably the lowest registered since 2004.
"Every unbuckled seat belt represents a life at risk," said Katie Bower, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. According to the Michigan State Police Newsroom, Bower said, "It’s disheartening to see the seat belt use rate in Michigan continue to decline. We must remind everyone that safety is a shared responsibility. Every time we buckle up, we protect not just ourselves but everyone on the road." Her office highlights the past decade's fluctuation in seat belt usage among front-seat occupants, historically peaking at 97.9 percent in 2009.
Conversely, Michigan has spotted a silver lining with drivers’ use of handheld devices declining. As per results from the same survey, handheld device usage while driving dropped from 6.7 percent in 2023 to 5.5 percent in 2024. This change is attributed to the positive impact of Michigan’s Hands-Free Law that came into effect in mid-2023.
"A rate decrease of 1.2 percentage points translates to many lives being saved as drivers and passengers understand the importance of keeping their hands on the wheel at all times," Bower commented, as per the Michigan State Police Newsroom. The Office is optimistic about the initial effects of the Hands-Free Law on reducing distracted-driving crashes and saving lives. This comes despite the troubling statistics that every percentage point increase in seat belt usage equates to around 10 fewer traffic deaths and 100 fewer serious injuries according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Michigan's efforts include releasing educational videos, like "Perfect World" and "Something Stops You," to address this pressing issue.
