ST. PAUL — A car darting into another lane, a sudden flat tire sending a vehicle off the road or a drunk driver going through a stop light. Unexpected incidents like these can cause a crash. There isn’t a way to predict every danger on the road but there is a way to stay safe if they occur: Wear a seat belt. 

That’s why the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) coordinated the two weeklong Click It or Ticket extra enforcement campaign in May. Click it or Ticket is a nationwide campaign supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  During the campaign, officers, deputies and troopers issued 1,598 seat belt citations and 85 child restraint citations to drivers jeopardizing their lives or the lives of their young passengers.

“The vast majority of Minnesotans know that a seat belt and a properly used car seat or booster seat is the best way to protect your family from a deadly car crash,” said Mike Hanson, director of the OTS. “But sadly, there are still many who put themselves and their children at risk. For them, enforcement and education can prevent the worst from happening.”

Click It or Ticket campaign

OTS coordinated the extra enforcement campaign May 19 through June 1 with 266 agencies. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided campaign funding for overtime enforcement and awareness in support of the Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program.

Highest number of seat belt citations

Twin Cities Metro Area

• St. Paul Police Department: 252
• Minnesota State Patrol (west metro district): 153
• Minnesota State Patrol (east metro district): 95
• Dakota County Sheriff's Office: 32
• Bloomington Police Department: 27

Greater Minnesota

• Minnesota State Patrol (Virginia district): 128
• Minnesota State Patrol (St. Cloud district): 111
• Minnesota State Patrol (Duluth district): 103
• Minnesota State Patrol (Brainerd district): 73
• Minnesota State Patrol (Detroit Lakes district): 57

View the complete list of agencies participating in the campaign.

Examples of stops

• A St. Paul police officer stopped a family for a seat belt violation and learned they were unsheltered. In place of a citation, the officer offered a free car seat and an education clinic. The family attended the clinic, resulting in the citation being dismissed without a fine. 
• A Northfield police officer issued three citations for no seat belts and one for a child not in a proper car seat, all in the same vehicle.
• A Southlake Minnetonka police officer stopped a driver who was not wearing a seat belt. That person was then arrested for a drug-related driving while impaired violation.

Unbelted fatalities (2023 and 2024 numbers are preliminary)

• 2024: 106
• 2023: 79
• 2022: 87
• 2021: 110
• 2020: 105

Obey the law to prevent serious or fatal injuries in a crash

Minnesota law requires all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts or be in the right car seat or booster seat. Belts should be snug across the hips or thighs. Properly position the shoulder belt across the chest and never tuck it under the arm or behind the back.

Updated Minnesota car seat law and guidelines

Minnesota’s updated Child Passenger Safety Law provides new guidance for car seats, booster seats and seat belts. Instead of just relying on the child’s size, the law specifies ages for rear- and forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts (subject to weight and height depending on the child seat manufacturer). In addition, the booster seat requirement has been increased from 8 to 9 years old. See the complete list of new guidelines.

Resources

• BuckleUpMN.org
• DriveSmartMN.org
• BuckleUpKids.dps.mn.gov

About the Minnesota Department of Public Safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s more than 2,100 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.

About the Office of Traffic Safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) designs, implements and coordinates federally funded traffic safety enforcement and education programs to improve driver behaviors and reduce the deaths and serious injuries that occur on Minnesota roads. These efforts form a strong foundation for the statewide Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program. OTS also administers state funds for the motorcycle safety program, child seats for needy families program, school bus stop arm camera project and oversees the funding for the Advisory Council on Traffic Safety.