In this episode, host Phil Tower welcomes  Katie Bower, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). 
Michigan seat belt use rate fell again in 2024. However, the Hands-Free Law has helped reduce handheld device usage by 1.2 percent. For the second year in a row, Michigan’s seat belt use rate fell slightly, according to the results from a grant-funded direct observation study conducted by Michigan State University. The 2024 study, conducted in May and June, determined Michigan's seat belt use rate of 92.0 percent. 

The usage drop was a 0.4 percentage point decrease from the reported rate of 92.4 in 2023.

Katie stressed, “We must remind everyone that safety is a shared responsibility. Every time we buckle up, we protect ourselves and everyone on the road.” In Michigan, seat belt use observation studies over the last ten years (2014-2023) indicate the overall annual use rate among front-seat occupants ranged from 92.4 to 94.5 percent. Notable: The state’s highest seat belt use rate was 97.9 percent in 2009. 
 
Online Resources:  Michigan OHSP
 
OHSP videos titled “Perfect World”  and “Something Stops You”