State Reminds Motorists to Buckle Up Day AND Night
DENVER – The Colorado State Patrol and law enforcement agencies in 12 counties are joining the Click It or Ticket campaign to save lives by increasing seat belt use at night, announced the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Ramped up traffic enforcement will take place between the hours of 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., July 23 – 29 in the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo and Weld.
Nighttime enforcement is a priority for the Click It or Ticket campaign, because nighttime passenger vehicle occupants are among those least likely to buckle up and most likely to die in crashes when unrestrained. Last year in Colorado, 137 drivers and passengers were killed in crashes between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Of that number, 67% were not wearing seat belts, compared to 53% of victims not buckled up during the day.
“Many nighttime traffic deaths can be prevented if drivers and passengers take the extra second to buckle up,” said Col. James Wolfinbarger, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “On too many occasions, our troopers have seen the tragic results of not wearing a seat belt, which is why we will be out in force during the evenings to conduct extra traffic enforcement. This enforcement period is not about issuing tickets, it is about saving lives.”
Most of the people killed in crashes in Colorado at night are young men. In Colorado last year, 77% of the unbuckled deaths were men—over half were between 18 and 34 years old.
The Colorado State Patrol and the following agencies are receiving federal grants from CDOT to conduct the nighttime Click It or Ticket mobilization:
Adams County: Adams County SO, Brighton PD, Commerce City PD, Northglenn PD, Westminster PD
Arapahoe County: Arapahoe County SO, Aurora PD, Englewood PD, Greenwood Village PD
Boulder County: Boulder PD, Longmont PD, Lafayette PD
Denver County: Denver PD, Auraria Campus PD
Douglas County: Castle Rock PD, Lone Tree PD, Parker PD
El Paso County: El Paso County SO, Manitou Springs PD, Colorado Springs PD
Gilpin County: Gilpin County SO
Jefferson County: Edgewater PD, Jefferson County SO, Golden PD, Lakewood PD, Arvada PD, Wheat Ridge PD
Larimer County: Larimer County SO, Fort Collins PD, Loveland PD, Estes Park PD
Mesa County: Grand Junction PD, Mesa County SO
Pueblo County: Pueblo County SO, Pueblo PD
Weld County: Ault PD, Dacono PD, Frederick PD, Fort Lupton PD, Evans PD,
Last year during the nighttime Click It or Ticket campaign, 1,815 seat belt violations were issued. During the weeklong enforcement period, five drivers and passengers died in crashes in the state, and two of them were not wearing seat belts. Following this enforcement period, agencies will report their seat belt citation data online. You can view this by visiting www.SeatBeltsColorado.com. Then click on Seat Belt Enforcement Reporting on the Quick Links.
