Results of a recent study indicates Michigan appears to be moving in the right direction again in terms of seat belt use.

In 2025, the state recorded its highest seat belt use rate since 2019, according to a grant-funded direct observation study by Michigan State University.

The study, which took place in May and June across 200 Michigan locations, found the state’s seat belt use rate was 93.2%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the previous year. By contrast, the 2024 rate of 92% marked a 20-year low. The previous three years showed rates of 92.4% in 2023; 92.9% in 2022; and 92.6% in 2021.

“Every time we buckle up, we protect not just ourselves but everyone on the road,” Alicia Sledge, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, said in a news release. “We’re encouraged by the progress in seat belt use in Michigan but continued education and enforcement are essential to keeping every driver and passenger safe.”

According to the 2025 study —

— Occupants of SUVs exhibited the highest seat belt use rate among vehicle types at 95.5%, followed by occupants of vans and minivans at 93.4% and passenger cars at 91.9%.

— Occupants of pickup trucks exhibited the lowest seat belt use rate among all vehicle types at 89.3%, which is consistent with historical trends.

— Female occupants had higher use rates than male occupants by 3.6 percentage points — 95.3% vs. 91.7%.

According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, 4,614 lives have been saved in the 25 years since Michigan’s primary seat belt law went into effect in 2000. Seat belt use observation studies in the prior 10 years — 2015 to 2024 — indicate the overall annual use rate among front-seat occupants ranged from 92.0 to 94.5%.

The state’s highest seat belt use rate was 97.9% in 2009.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows the nationwide seat belt use rate was 91.2% in 2024, down from 91.9% in 2023. The NHTSA requires states to conduct annual seat belt observation surveys to determine seat belt usage.

The Michigan OHSP has produced three videos — “A Ticket From Us,” “Perfect World” and “Something Stops You” — to help raise awareness and educate drivers about the importance of using seat belts every trip, every time.

To review the report and learn more about seat belt safety, go to www.michigan.gov/SeatBelts.