In just three days last week Michigan State Police handed out more than 500 citations to drivers who were not wearing their seat belt. Tickets for not wearing a seat belt in Michigan cost $65, but no points are assessed on a driver’s license.

Michigan State Police like police across the country were participating in the national Click It or Ticket campaign. This enforcement period is conducted during the busiest driving holiday and at the start of the busiest driving season for a reason. It aims to focus police efforts on forcing drivers to use the most effective safety equipment on your vehicle: seat belts.

Seat belts have been in use for decades and repeated studies have shown them to be highly effective in preventing injury or even death in the event of a vehicle crash. Despite a preponderance of evidence some drivers continue to avoid using them. This may fly in the face of logic, but it remains a very solid fact.

To enforce existing seat belt laws the nation’s police force regularly participate in partially federally funded Click It or Ticket programs which helps offset the cost of additional patrols meant to find and ticket drivers (and any passengers) who refuse to buckle up. Ticket costs can vary, but you can bet you will shell out about $100 on average no matter where you are when you get caught.

Michigan has been conducting annual Click It or Ticket campaigns for more than a decade and every year the number of tickets wavers. Some years drivers seem more reluctant to buckle up than others. Studies have also shown that obese drivers are less likely to use their seat belts than those who not obese. In Texas, drivers of pick-up trucks are also less likely to wear a seat belt than those who operate a passenger car.

Regardless of what you drive, wearing a seat belt can save your life and help you avoid getting a ticket.
For other specific laws pertaining to Michigan and beneficial general driving information and advice, it is very worthwhile to take a Michigan Driver Improvement Course. As an added benefit, you can take the course to dismiss a moving violation ticket.