The Ontario Provincial Police is asking drivers, "If you're not buckling up, what's holding you back?"
The OPP are marking 51 years since Ontario made seatbelt use mandatory. While seatbelts are proven to save lives, police say nearly one in four road fatalities investigated involve someone not buckled in.
"In 2025, the OPP responded to 41 road fatalities in which the lack of seatbelt use was either the cause or a contributing factor," said OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique. "At any time, you can become involved in a collision caused by another driver. The single most important thing you can do to protect yourself during a crash is to ensure you, and all other vehicle occupants, are properly buckled in."
Over the long Easter weekend, the OPP will conduct a province-wide seatbelt campaign. Not only will they watch to make sure drivers are wearing their seatbelts, but also whether children are properly secured in the appropriate child care seat, booster seat, or seatbelt for their weight, height and age.
"Too many lives are lost to something entirely preventable. Bucking up takes seconds, but it can mean the difference between making it home or not," added Carrique. "Seatbelts save lives. It is that simple."
