May Click It or Ticket enforcement concludes with 1,548 drivers cited
News Release
Statewide — With the arrival of warmer weather and summer vacation, many Colorado residents and visitors are traveling more. To keep people safe, the Colorado Department of Transportation and its law enforcement partners recently conducted the largest seat belt enforcement campaign of the year. The May Click It or Ticket campaign cited 1,548 drivers for not buckling up or having unbuckled passengers in their vehicle. This included 120 drivers who had an improperly restrained child in their vehicle.
From May 15 to June 4, CDOT, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and 62 participating law enforcement agencies statewide came together for the Click It or Ticket enforcement period. Law enforcement agencies that issued the most citations statewide were the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office (121 citations), Loveland Police Department (105 citations), and Colorado Springs Police Department (85 citations). Additionally, Colorado State Patrol cited 585 drivers statewide.
“It is worth making the decision to buckle up, a decision that can only benefit your safety in the event of a crash,” said Colorado State Patrol Chief Matthew C. Packard. “Whether you are a driver or a passenger, it only takes a few seconds to put on your seat belt and consciously make an effort to protect your life in a vehicle.”
This was the second seat belt enforcement campaign of 2023. The next one is planned for July.
On June 16, 2023, CDOT ran a fleet of hearses throughout Denver with messaging urging Coloradans to fasten their seat belts. The unmistakable vehicles were dressed in flags and magnets displaying “Avoid This Ride” to deliver the harsh reality of what can happen if you’re in a crash while unrestrained. The hearses traveled to and through high-traffic downtown areas, including the Capitol and Denver Union Station. CDOT’s stark approach aimed to remind Coloradans that buckling up is a small yet worthwhile action compared to the consequences of being unbuckled in a crash. Click here for more information on the fleet of hearses.
Colorado’s seat belt use rate is 87% — below the national average of 91.6%. During the same enforcement campaign last year, 1,872 seat belt citations were issued.
“We must ensure Coloradans are buckled up to keep people safe,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “We call on everyone to prioritize safety in their vehicle so they can enjoy their summer and avoid the consequences of being in a crash while not buckled up."
In the event of a crash, a seat belt can save your life and significantly minimize serious injury. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), buckling up saved an estimated 15,000 lives in 2017 car crashes. Properly wearing a seat belt will always be the best safety decision a driver or passenger can make in a vehicle.
Fines for not buckling up in Colorado start at $65, and parents or caregivers caught with an improperly restrained child can receive a minimum fine of $82.
Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. Last year, out of over 5,000 car seat checks performed in Colorado, there was a 66% misuse rate. Parents and caregivers can learn more about Colorado child passenger safety laws, recommendations and recalls at CarSeatsColorado.com.
Colorado’s seat belt laws
- Adults — Colorado has a secondary enforcement law for adult drivers and front-seat passengers. Drivers can be ticketed for violating the seat belt law if they are stopped for another traffic violation.
- Teens — Colorado’s Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) law requires all drivers under 18 and their passengers, regardless of their age, to wear seat belts. This is a primary enforcement, meaning teens can be pulled over simply for not wearing a seat belt or having passengers without seat belts.
- Children — Colorado's Child Passenger Safety law is a primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child under age 16 in the vehicle.
About Click It or Ticket
Click It or Ticket is a nationwide campaign from NHTSA. Since Click It or Ticket was introduced in Colorado in 2002, statewide seat belt use has increased from 72% to 87%. For more information about seat belt safety and enforcement citation numbers, visit SeatBeltsColorado.com.
