LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The seat belt usage in Michigan has hit its lowest rate since 2004 according to a new grant-funded study by Michigan State University using data from Michigan’s Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP).

In 2023, Michigan’s seat belt use rate was 92.4%, a decrease of 0.5% from the 92.9% recorded in 2022. Results from the 2023 study, which was conducted between May and July, mark the lowest seat belt use rate since 2004, when it was 90.5%. 2009 saw the highest seatbelt use rate at 97.9%. Every 1 percent increase in seat belt use means an estimated 10 fewer traffic deaths and 100 fewer serious injuries. In Michigan in 2022, there were 1,123 fatalities.

MORE NEWS: VIDEO: Dash Cam Video Shows Deadly Police Chase in Jackson, Pipe Bombs Being Pitched from Vehicle

Even though the state police have a “click it or ticket” marketing and seat belt advocacy program, not everyone is taking heed. Katie Bower, director of the OHSP, says, “Seat belts are the foundation of every effective traffic safety strategy and one of the easiest things drivers and passengers can do to be safe. Michigan was once a leading state in seat belt use. It should give all Michiganders pause to see that our state’s seat belt use rate continues to decrease – an alarming 2 percentage points since 2019. Drivers and passengers of all ages must buckle up, every trip, every time.”

Rural counties in northern Michigan had the lowest seat belt use and Livingston County had one of the highest rates in the state sitting at 96.4%.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the nationwide seat belt usage rate was 91.6% in 2022. The NHTSA requires all of the states to conduct annual seat belt observation surveys.

The MSU study also looked at the drivers use of electronics and reported that in 2023, the rate of drivers using electronic devices was 8.3%, a 2.2% increase from the previous 6.1% rate in 2022 although Bower said, “Since much of the seat belt survey was conducted before Michigan’s hands-free law took effect on June 30, we are looking forward to next year’s results to see the impact the new law has had on traffic safety.”

The OHSP has produced two videos, titled Perfect World and Something Stops You, to help address the situation by raising awareness and educating drivers about the importance of using their seat belts.