In just one week, Minnesota law enforcement cited nearly 1,000 people for not wearing a seat belt or properly securing children. While buckling up is second nature to most, lack of seat belt use is still a leading factor in fatal crashes on Minnesota roads.

That’s why the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety partnered with law enforcement for extra seat belt enforcement and awareness the final week of September.

Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson had this to say about seat-belt safety.

OTS coordinated the extra enforcement campaign with 254 law enforcement agencies. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided campaign funding for overtime enforcement and awareness in support of the Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program.