With Ontario’s seatbelt law entering its 51st year, OPP reports that nearly one in four road fatalities they investigate still involves someone not wearing a seatbelt. Each year, the OPP sees many deaths linked to seatbelt use, and what makes these incidents even more tragic for families is learning their loved one chose not to buckle up before heading out on the road.
Over the Easter long weekend, OPP officers are running a province-wide seatbelt campaign, encouraging all drivers and passengers to make the right choice and buckle up. This includes making sure children are properly secured in car seats, booster seats, or seatbelts appropriate for their age, weight, and height. Families are also urged to reinforce the importance of making seatbelt use a lifelong habit.
The OPP also highlight that during a collision, being thrown into a rapidly opening airbag without a seatbelt can cause serious injury or death.
In 2025, the OPP issued 13,560 seatbelt charges, and failing to wear a seatbelt carries a fine of $200 to $1,000 along with two demerit points that remain on a driving record for two years. Buckling up is quick, easy, and can save lives.
