SGI is reminding drivers to buckle up as they shine their traffic safety spotlight on seatbelt safety this month.

According to SGI, in 2021, one-third of the vehicle occupant deaths on Saskatchewan roads involved a person who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. With 95 percent of drivers buckling up, the people who don’t are more likely to be killed in a collision.

Drivers in Saskatchewan are responsible for making sure all passengers under the age of 16 are properly secured. If caught not wearing a seatbelt or with an unbelted passenger, drivers will face a $175 fine and lose three points under the Safe Driver Recognition program.

Tyler McMurchy, a spokesperson with SGI, encouraged motorists to make the new year’s resolution of wearing their seatbelts in 2023.