Despite record-high safety belt use, hundreds of Michigan motorists die - unbelted - each year. Over the last five years, 1,405 unbuckled Michigan motorists and their passengers were killed in traffic crashes - far more than Michigan's entire traffic death toll of 1,084 in 2007.

Armed with these statistics, hundreds of law enforcement agencies today launch the start of an annual two-week statewide safety belt mobilization that runs through June 1. Officers, deputies and troopers from 55 counties have planned 775 safety belt enforcement zones throughout the mobilization.

Just last year, 252 unbuckled Michigan motorists died. Nearly three-quarters of these unbelted deaths were males.

"High visibility enforcement is the most effective and efficient means to address safety belt use among the small group that does not yet buckle up," said Michael L. Prince, Office of Highway Safety Planning director. "Our goal always is to increase belt use rather than issue citations because higher belt use saves lives."

Michigan has one of the highest safety belt use rates in the nation - 94 percent. However, that figure is representative of day-time belt use when observation surveys take place. Traffic crash statistics paint a far different picture at night, when safety belt use drops substantially.

Fewer than half of those who die from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. are buckled up, and the majority of these are male. In nearly every case of a belted fatality, it is a crash so severe that safety belts and other features are not able to prevent the death. These can be high-speed crashes, crossing the centerline crashes or crashes where a vehicle hits a stationary object.

A portion of the safety belt enforcement will take place during evening and late night hours, to encourage motorists to buckle up on a 24/7 basis.

Federal traffic safety funds will allow nearly 300 local police departments and sheriff offices as well as Michigan Department of State Police posts to put additional patrols on the road. These patrols supplement regular staffing levels and do not divert officers from their regular duties.

The following 55 counties will set up safety belt enforcement zones from May 19-June 1: Allegan, Alpena, Barry, Bay, Berrien, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clinton, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Iron, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lapeer, Leelanau, Lenawee, Livingston, Mackinac, Macomb, Marquette, Mason, Menominee, Midland, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Oakland, Oceana, Ogemaw, Otsego, Ottawa, Roscommon, Saginaw, Sanilac, Schoolcraft, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Shiawassee, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne and Wexford.

Last year, officers issued over 18,436 safety belt citations, arrested more than 900 motorists for drunk driving and another 600 arrests for felony violations.