​​ST. PAUL — Seat belts are the first line of defense for protecting you in a crash, but they only work if they are used properly. During a one-week Click It or Ticket Campaign, officers, deputies and troopers from 278 agencies issued 1,125 seat belt citations and 39 child restraint citations.

Click It or Ticket Campaign

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) coordinated the statewide extra enforcement and awareness campaign from Sept. 17-23.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided campaign funding for overtime enforcement and awareness in support of the Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program.

Seat Belt Citations by Agency

Metro:

• 57 — St. Paul Police Department
• 39 — Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office
• 38 — Richfield Police Department
• 32 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2400 (Oakdale)
• 17 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2500 (Golden Valley)
• 16 — Elk River Police Department

Greater Minnesota:

• 87 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2900 (Detroit Lakes)
• 71 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2700 (Duluth)
• 62 — Minnesota State Patrol District 3100 (Virginia)
• 57 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2100 (Rochester)
• 56 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2600 (St. Cloud)
• 54 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2800 (Brainerd)
• 48 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2300 (Marshall)
• 33 — Minnesota State Patrol District 3200 (Thief River Falls)
• 32 — Minnesota State Patrol District 2200 (Mankato)
• 21 — Kasson Police Department
• 20 — Mankato Department of Public Safety Police

View the complete list of agencies participating in the Click It or Ticket campaign.

Proper car seat use protects children

In Minnesota crashes from 2018-2022, preliminary figures show:

• Of the 13,705 children ages 0-7 properly restrained, 88 percent were not injured. Another 9 percent sustained only minor injuries.
• Twenty-three children ages 0-7 were killed in motor vehicles. Of those, only nine were known to be properly secured. 

Minnesota car seat law

All children must be in a child safety seat until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall or at least 8 years old, whichever comes first. Learn more about proper car seat installation and use at BuckleUpKids.dps.mn.gov​. Parents and caregivers can also go online to schedule a car seat check in their area.

Buckle up. You can live with it.

The 2022 Minnesota observational seat belt survey showed 93 percent compliance for front seat occupants. There are signs of improvement in unbelted fatalities, but even one life lost in a crash is one too many.

• Preliminary counts show 87 unbelted motorists died on Minnesota roads in 2022 compared with 110 in 2021 and 105 in 2020.
• Among 25 to 39-year-olds, the 21 unbelted deaths in 2022 was a 48 percent reduction from 2021 (40) and the lowest number since 2019 (17).

Unbelted Deaths Jan. 1-Sept. 24 

• 2023 – 57
• 2022 – 61
• 2021 – 77
• 2020 – 69
• 2019 – 52

It’s the law.

Minnesota law requires all drivers and passengers to wear seat belts or be in the correct child restraint. Belts should be tight across the hips or thighs and should never be tucked under the arm or behind the back.

Additional Resources:

• ​DriveSmartMN.org

About the Minnesota Department Public Safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises 10 divisions where 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 state and 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 and school bus stop arm camera project.