State reports tickets up during seat belt blitz

LANSING (AP) -- Authorities say 8,700 tickets were written during a recent two-week crackdown on seat belt nonuse, a 6 percent increase over a similar effort a year ago. Police and sheriff's departments in 26 counties participated from May 20 to June 2. The tickets were written for seat belt or child seat violations. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning says motorists were warned about the enhanced enforcement through advertising. Director Michael Prince says people who didn't "click it received a ticket." Fifteen drunken drivers were arrested and 29 drug-related arrests were made. A stop in Eaton County resulted in a seizure of drugs worth more than $30,000. Published: Thu, Jul 4, 2013