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Law enforcement officers across the state cited 1,805 people for seat belt violations and 73 for child seat violations during a two-week seat belt enforcement campaign.

Statewide, 319 law enforcement agencies participated in the Click it or Ticket campaign Sept. 13 through Sept. 30. In addition to enforcement, the campaign also included education and awareness, according to a press release from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety.

“The 1,800 seat belt violations baffles my mind,” said Mike Hanson, director of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. “How do so many people continue to get into vehicles and fail to buckle up? By now, you should know the seat belt is your first and last line of defense when getting in a crash. It’s selfish to believe failing to buckle up only affects you. Think of all the people whose lives will be changed if you are killed, all because you didn’t want to take two seconds to buckle up. Drive smart and stay alive by always buckling up.”

In Greater Minnesota, the agencies with the most citations included the Minnesota State Patrol units out of Duluth and Detroit Lakes, with 164 and 139 citations, respectively. The State Patrol district out of Rochester had 60.

According to the release, there have been 80 people who have died this year in crashes who were not wearing their seat belts. This is higher than the unbelted deaths at this time last year when there were 78 and 2019 when there were 54 at this time.

There have been 380 people altogether who have died in traffic crashes this year.