June 6, 2002

Contact: Anne Readett @ (517) 333-5317

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Michigan law enforcement agencies participating in the highly publicized Click it or Ticket campaign issued 5,730 safety belt citations over the four-day Memorial Day weekend travel period, reports the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP).

Of those citations, 5,463 were for unbuckled adults, 182 were for unbuckled children age 4-15 and 85 for children under age 4. While still provisional, the state recorded 13 traffic fatalities over the holiday, a 30 percent reduction when compared to last year when 19 people died in traffic crashes over the same period.

Memorial Day weekend, more than 450 Michigan law enforcement agencies took part in a national mobilization to increase safety belt use. Michigan State Police nearly doubled their presence on the state's highly traveled corridors through federal funds provided by OHSP. In addition, federal funding allowed the purchase of paid advertising to further increase awareness of stepped up enforcement. The Click it or Ticket message appeared on billboards, radio and television.

"Our hope is that this effort further increases safety belt use in Michigan," said Betty J. Mercer, OHSP division director. "Results of a direct observation survey later this summer will help us determine the direct impact of this effort."

Continued enforcement of Michigan's safety belt law will continue throughout the summer. The Drive Michigan Safely Task Force is working dedicated patrols in 18 counties across the state to raise safety belt use through aggressive enforcement of the law.