Seat belt patrols stepped up in 10 counties, including Cass

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota State Patrol is planning extra seat belt enforcement next week in the 10 greater Minnesota counties that have seen the highest number of unbelted deaths and injuries.

The extra patrols are running from Monday through next Sunday in Cass, Itasca, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Olmsted, St. Louis, Stearns, Renville, Rice and Winona counties.

The Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety says that combined, those counties saw 854 unbelted deaths and serious injuries from 2007 through 2009.

The primary seat belt law requires drivers and passengers in all seating positions, including the back seat, to be buckled up or in a correct child restraint.

Officers will stop and ticket unbelted drivers or passengers.