Statewide Seatbelt Crackdown Results in More than 1,000 Citations

Saint Paul, MN (KROC-AM News)- More than 1,100 motorists in Minnesota chose the ticket option during the most recent “click it or ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign. 

Get our free mobile app

That’s according to an announcement made Wednesday morning by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS).

The latest seatbelt law crackdown that began September 17 and warped up on September 23. 

278 law enforcement agencies across the state patrook in the effort including the Rochester Police Department and Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office. DPS says Rochester Police issued one citation to an unbuckled driver and Olmsted County Sheriff’s Deputies wrote five seatbelt violation tickets during the week-long campaign. 

The Kasson Police Department ticketed 21 unbuckled motorists, the highest of any agency outside of the Twin Cities Metro. The State Patrol’s Southeast Minnesota District wrote 57 tickets during the seat belt enforcement effort. 

Statewide authorities issued 1,125 seat belt citations. Participating law enforcement agencies also cited a combined 39 drivers for violating the state’s child restraint law. 

DPS says 57 people who have lost their lives on Minnesota roads through September 24 of this year were not buckled up. That’s down from 61 in that same time span last year and well below 77 that was reported in the first nearly 9 months of 2021. 

Get our free mobile app

This year has seen the  lowest amount of unbuckled fatalities reported over that time span since 2019, according to DPS figures.