Minnesota already has a high rate of seat belt compliance — 95 percent — and that number seems to be going up

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) reports that law enforcement wrote 32 percent fewer citations to drivers who didn't buckle up during a recent two-week "Click It or Ticket" campaign when compared to 2014. Last year police issued tickets to 10,874 motorists while issuing 7,393 this year.

"We are encouraged by the increased number of motorists making the right choice by buckling up," said Donna Berger, Office of Traffic Safety director. "However, with nearly 7,400 people still failing to wear their seat belts, we ask drivers and passengers to speak up about buckling up if somebody is unbelted in their vehicle. Unbelted motorists not only risk their own lives, but put the lives of others in danger as well."

Police also issued 175 tickets to drivers who did not have children properly restrained. That, was also down 37 percent from the 279 handed out last year. This year's campaign ran May 18 to 31.

In an oddity, one driver was ticketed twice in the same day for not wearing a seat belt, the department said.

About half of motorists killed in traffic accidents each year were not wearing seat belts. The department says the odds of being injured rise four fold for drivers and passengers who are not belted.

Minnesota has had a seat belt law since 1986. In 2009, the law was amended to make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense, meaning police could stop a vehicle if the driver or a passenger was not buckled up.

"It's getting harder to find a violation, and that's good," said Lt. Tiffani Nielson of the State Patrol. "The fact that we are citing less tells us we are seeing better compliance. Now we just want to get that last 5 percent on board."

Nielson said compliance is higher in the metro than in rural areas. Even so, officers in metro jurisdictions wrote plenty of tickets to unbelted motorists. St. Paul Police issued 243 and Minneapolis wrote 191, Bloomington 112, North St. Paul, 92, Maplewood, 88, Forest Lake 87 and Eden Prairie 80.

Outside the metro, St. Cloud Police led the way with 123 followed by Duluth with 103. The State Patrol handed out 2,048 tickets.

The fine for not wearing a seat belt is $25, but can rise above $115 with ticket surcharges and court costs.

Over the past four years, here are the numbers of citations issued by the 300 participating agencies for seat belt violations, according to the DPS.

2012: 12,639, plus 301 child seat citations

2013: 10,342, plus 256 child seat citations

2014: 10,874, plus 279 child seat citations

2015: 7,393, plus 175 child seat citations

As a reminder, Minnesota law states that drivers and passengers in all seating positions must be buckled up or seated in the correct child restraint. Under Minnesota law, officers can stop and ticket unbelted drivers or passengers. Seat belts must be worn correctly — low and snug across the hips, and shoulder straps should never be tucked under an arm or behind the back.

For children, here are the rules:

  • Children under age 8 must be in a child restraint, unless the child is 4 feet 9 inches or taller, whichever comes first.
  • Rear-facing infant seats - Newborns to at least 1 year and 20 pounds; recommended up to age 2. It is safest to keep a child rear-facing as long as possible.
  • Forward-facing toddler seats - Age 2 until around age 4. It's preferable to keep children in a harnessed restraint as long as possible.
  • Booster seats - Use after outgrowing a forward-facing harnessed restraint; safest to remain in a booster until 4 feet 9 inches tall, or at least age 8, whichever comes first.
  • Seat belts - Use when children can sit with their back against the seat and have their knees bent comfortably over the vehicle seat edge with feet touching the floor.