The Utah Department of Public Safety wants to inform Utahns that increased seat belt enforcement will occur statewide from Mar. 22 to Mar. 25. In a press release they shared that over 18 law enforcement agencies throughout the state will work more than 120 overtime shifts to stop and educate motorists who aren’t wearing seat belts. Seat belt use increased .6 percent from 2022 to 2023, but there were still 64 unrestrained fatalities last year. Public Information Officer for UHP Lt. Cameron Roden shared, “over the past five years, unrestrained fatalities accounted for nearly a third of total vehicle occupant roadway deaths in Utah…seat belts are the single most effective traffic safety device by helping occupants stay in place, avoid becoming projectiles, and help drivers maintain control of the vehicle in a crash. They save about 15,000 lives a year.”