The Ontario Provincial Police West Region has released results from its Easter long weekend traffic campaign, reporting 168 seatbelt-related charges between April 3 and April 6, 2026.
While that number is significantly lower than the 338 charges laid during the same campaign in 2025 — a five-year high — police stress that seatbelt compliance remains a critical road safety issue.
According to the OPP, failure to wear a seatbelt contributed to 41 deaths on OPP-patrolled roads in 2025, including 14 fatalities in West Region. So far in 2026, four traffic deaths in the region have already been linked to not wearing a seatbelt.
Police say seatbelt use continues to be one of the most effective ways to reduce serious injury and death in collisions. It is one of the “Big Four” contributing factors to crashes, alongside impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and driver fatigue.
The OPP says it will continue enforcement and public education efforts to improve road safety across Southwestern Ontario and beyond.