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Homeland Security and Emergency Management
ST. PAUL — Air bags and other safety improvements in today’s vehicles can help save lives on the road but their effectiveness depends on one simple step — buckling up. Without that step, lives are lost and families grieve an easily preventable tragedy. To help keep Minnesotans alive and prevent life-changing injuries, troopers, deputies and officers are participating in the Click It or Ticket statewide seat belt campaign Sept. 18-24.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS) coordinates the enforcement, education and awareness campaign with funding provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The campaign includes extra patrols and advertising across Minnesota in support of the Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program.
“Enforcement and education are effective traffic safety tools to help people realize that their decisions matter when it comes to life or death behind the wheel,” said DPS-OTS Director Mike Hanson. “Most Minnesotans buckle up— and it’s a lifesaver. Those who don’t need to think about how quickly the situation on the road can change. It could be the distracted driver suddenly veering toward you or that unseen patch of ice making your vehicle slide off the road and roll. Click it and live.”
Unbelted motorists contributed to a significant rise in traffic fatalities over the past two years. There are signs of improvement so far this year but even one life lost in a crash is one too many.
Severe crash injuries are going down in Minnesota. In 1987, there were 4,176 vehicle occupants who suffered severe injuries in traffic crashes, and the seat belt compliance rate was 36 percent for front seat occupants, according to the observational seat belt survey. The number of severe injuries dropped to 1,166 in 2021, and the seat belt compliance rate was measured at 92.4 percent.
Of the 14,692 children ages 0-7 who were properly restrained in Minnesota crashes from 2017 to 2021, 88 percent were not injured, while another 9 percent sustained only minor injuries.
All children must be in a child safety seat until they are 4' 9" tall, or at least 8 years old, whichever comes first.
Minnesota law states that all drivers and passengers must 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.
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.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-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. DPS-OTS also administers state funds for the motorcycle safety program, child seats for needy families program and school bus stop arm camera project.