Minnesota to Increase Seat Belt Enforcement

A Northeastern Minnesota Partnership to Help Increase Safe Driving

The first “Click It Or Ticket” campaign was launched in the 1980’s and a lot more people are using seat belts.

Despite the ongoing safety efforts around 40 percent of all traffic fatalities in Minnesota in the last five years involved people who were not buckled up. 

Hermantown Police Chief Jim Crace has pulled over many unbuckled drivers during his time with the police force. He says there’s not an excuse he hasn’t heard.

Crace hopes to hear fewer of these excuses with the enforcement partnership between Toward Zero Deaths and state police.

“Everybody knows wearing a seat belt is the safest way to survive a crash,” Crace said. 

The partnership plans to launch a statewide seat belt education program.