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The annual crack down on travelers who don't buckle up began Monday and 55 counties are setting up safety belt enforcement zones through June 1. Officers, deputies and troopers are planning 775 safety belt zones throughout the mobilization.

The daytime zones will be marked with a sign, and motorists will be aware they've entered a targeted area, said Lapeer County Sheriff's Department deputy Deaneen North.

A portion of the safety belt enforcement will take place during evening and late night hours by use of roving patrols. Traffic crash statistics show seat belt use drops dramatically at night.

"We had a roving patrol last night," said North on Friday. "Safety belt numbers aren't in yet, but one of our deputies arrested a drunk driver."

A Tuesday daytime enforcement zone is planned for Metamora Township near Pratt Road and M-24. Lapeer County Sheriff's Department deputies and police from Metamora, Almont and Dryden will participate. Another daytime zone will be set up May 30 on M-24 in the City of Lapeer. Participating agencies will be police in Lapeer, Imlay City, and the Lapeer County Sheriff's Department.

Over the last five years, 1,405 unbuckled Michigan motorists and their passengers were killed in traffic crashes -- far more than the state's entire traffic death toll of 1,084 in 2007, according to information from the Michigan State Police Office of Highway Safety Planning.

Last year, 252 unbuckled Michigan motorists died. Nearly three-quarters of these unbelted deaths were males. This year law enforcement is putting extra emphasis on young males, through enforcement and advertisements. Statistics show men, ages 18-34 are least likely to buckle up.

Local residents will likely notice the enforcement zones when they travel out of the area. Besides Lapeer, the following 55 counties will set up safety belt zones through June 1: Allegan, Alpena, Barry, Bay, Berrien, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clinton, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Iron, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Leelanau, Lenawee, Livingston, Mackinac, Macomb, Marquette, Mason, Menominee, Midland, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Oakland, Oceana, Ogemaw, Otsego, Ottawa, Roscommon, Saginaw, Sanilac, Schoolcraft, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Shiawassee, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne and Wexford.

Last year, police officers issued over 18,436 safety belt citations, arrested more than 900 motorists for drunk driving and another 600 arrests for felony violations.

Susan Younger may be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8122 or susan.younger@lapeergroup.com.