May Mobilization Seat Belt Enforcement Cites 6,942 Motorists

STATEWIDE — Seat belts save lives. They prevent windshield ejection, brain damage and death. With this in mind, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies launched a statewide Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement period from May 11 through May 31, citing 6,942 for not buckling up.

In addition, CDOT’s public outreach campaign on Click It or Ticket has reached 273,940 people on Facebook and received 15,276 post interactions. The campaign also includes billboards, gas station advertising and radio ads reaching thousands more. The campaign, which featured images of seat belts eliminating “damage” from “brain damage” or “ejection” from “windshield ejection,” was produced with funds from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration designated specifically for such efforts.

“In 2013, 62 lives in Colorado could have been saved if all unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants five and older had been properly restrained,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety. “Increased enforcement periods like the May Mobilization effort serve as a strong reminder to motorists that you should always buckle up, no matter where you are or how far you’re traveling.”

During the 2014 Click It or Ticket May Mobilization enforcement period, 8,044 Colorado motorists were cited for driving without a seat belt by the 79 participating agencies.

“The summer travel season is here again!  Our troopers will be on the lookout for dangerous drivers and will ticket those that aren’t buckled up,” said Col. Scott Hernandez, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Wearing a seat belt is your best protection if you’re in a crash, and even if you’re the safest driver on the road, you never know when another driver can cause a serious crash.” 

Motor vehicle traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for Coloradans. Studies show that seat belts reduce serious injuries and deaths in crashes by about 50 percent. States with primary seat belt laws have seat belt use rates that are 13 to 16 percent higher than states with secondary laws — Colorado is a secondary law state. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes cost Colorado more than $623 million each year in medical expenses and work loss costs.

The next seat belt enforcement period will focus on driving at night and occur from July 20 to 26.

 In 2013, seat belts saved an estimated 12,584 lives nationwide. An additional 2,800 lives could have been saved if all unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants five and older involved in fatal crashes had been properly restrained. For more information about seat belt safety and enforcement citation numbers, visit SeatBeltsColorado.com.