The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say those between the ages of 25 and 34 are least likely to buckle up, based on the number of fatalities in the past 10 years.
The OPP released the data ahead of the Easter long weekend seatbelt campaign.
Police said 542 people died between 2012 and 2021, in crashes where lack of seatbelt use was a factor.
The 25 to 34 age group had the highest rate of fatalities, accounting for 24 per cent of the deaths.
The 15 to 24 year age bracket was the second highest group, at 22.3 per cent, followed by 35 to 44 year-olds at 13.5 per cent of those who died without wearing seatbelts.
Drivers (vs. passengers) accounted for 75 per cent of the deaths.
According to the OPP, the excuses for not buckling up range from only driving a short distance or at low speeds, seatbelts being uncomfortable or no longer needed because of airbags, to the myth that wearing a seatbelt will trap a person and make things worse during a crash.
Drivers are encouraged to set a good example for teens and other young drivers and passengers by buckling up for every ride, ensuring they do too, and to help them form a life-long habit of wearing this important life-saving device.
Drivers are required by law to ensure they have proper (and properly installed) child car seats for babies, toddlers and small children.
In 2021, 47 people were killed in OPP-investigated motor vehicle collisions in which failure to wear a seatbelt was a factor in the deaths.
The OPP has laid close to 1,000 seatbelt charges so far this year.
