MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Using your seat belt is the easiest and most effective way to stay safe in your car.

According to the National Safety Council, wearing a seat belt can reduce the risk of being injured in a crash by 50 percent.

Although seat belt use is higher than ever, numbers remain the lowest among young drivers.

Failure to use a seat belt is not only unsafe, but in Michigan it may also be against the law. Passengers in the front seats and all passengers under 16 years old are required by law to be buckled up.