Now that a new year is upon us, SGI is asking motorists to make sure that seatbelt safety is top of mind in 2023, as that is their Traffic Safety Spotlight for January.  

Wearing seatbelts has been a law in Saskatchewan since 1977 and not wearing one will significantly increase your chance that you’ll be seriously injured or worse in a collision.  

In 2021, one-third of the vehicle occupant deaths on Saskatchewan roads involved a person who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. 

That’s why as part of January’s Traffic Safety Spotlight, law enforcement around the province will be paying extra attention to those not buckled up while driving.  

Those caught not buckled up or with an unbelted passenger, will be facing a $175 fine and also lose three points off their license.  

SGI adds to protect yourself by bucking up every time you get into a vehicle and making sure you’re properly adjusted. Make sure the lap belt is tight over your hips and not your abdomen. Also, the shoulder belt should fit snugly over the middle of your shoulder and across your chest.  

Seatbelts work by holding you in place and distributing the impact of the collision over the most solid parts of your body. 

For caregivers transporting the most precious of passengers – young children – make sure they are buckled in securely and that car seats, if any, have been properly installed and inspected by a technician. 

In the event of a collision or a rollover, anything not strapped down can become a projectile with the potential to injure the people in the vehicle.