(LANSING) - More Michigan drivers and passengers are buckling up, with the state recording its highest seat belt use rate in six years.
A new study conducted by Michigan State University shows seat belt use reached 93.2 percent in 2025, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the previous year. The results come from a grant-funded direct observation survey carried out in May and June at 200 locations across the state.
The 2024 seat belt use rate of 92.0 percent marked a 20-year low. Rates in prior years were 92.4 percent in 2023, 92.9 percent in 2022, and 92.6 percent in 2021. State officials say the increase in 2025 signals progress but stress that continued education and enforcement remain critical.
The study found seat belt use varied by vehicle type. Occupants of SUVs had the highest usage rate at 95.5 percent, followed by vans and minivans at 93.4 percent and passenger cars at 91.9 percent. Pickup truck occupants had the lowest usage rate at 89.3 percent, consistent with long-standing trends.
The data also showed differences by gender. Female occupants wore seat belts at a rate of 95.3 percent, compared to 91.7 percent for male occupants.
According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, seat belt use has saved an estimated 4,614 lives since Michigan's primary seat belt law took effect in 2000. Over the past decade, annual seat belt use among front-seat occupants has ranged from 92.0 to 94.5 percent. The state's highest recorded rate was 97.9 percent in 2009.
Nationally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports seat belt use stood at 91.2 percent in 2024, down from 91.9 percent the year before. Federal guidelines require states to conduct annual seat belt observation surveys.
The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning continues to promote seat belt use through public awareness campaigns and educational videos aimed at reminding drivers and passengers to buckle up every trip, every time.