Click It or Ticket summer seat belt enforcement period begins Monday

La campaña de Abrochado o Multado del verano empieza el lunes en español

Statewide — Don’t let a seat belt citation get in the way of enjoying a beautiful summer day in Colorado. The Colorado Department of Transportation is supporting efforts by the Colorado State Patrol and 61 law enforcement agencies to get more people to buckle. The Click it or Ticket (CIOT) campaign runs from Monday, July 22 through Friday, August 2. During that time there will be increased awareness and enforcement of Colorado’s seat belt law. Recently Jefferson Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and Loveland Police Department reported the highest number of seat belt citations during the April and May CIOT enforcement periods.

Last year nine counties in Colorado reported that all of their passenger vehicle deaths involved people who were not using seat belts. The state average is 50%. These counties included Eagle, Summit and Las Animas counties. Also, July 2023 was the deadliest month in Colorado history with 91 traffic deaths, 30 of which were unbuckled drivers and passengers.

“This summer Colorado State Troopers are doubling down on our education and enforcement of seat belt use because we know that the decision to buckle up can save your life. If these numbers aren't a wake-up call, a citation may be the reminder you need to be responsible with your life and those you transport,” said Colonel Matthew Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “While folks rush to work or run an errand, no one plans to be in a crash. Do your part to ensure every person in your vehicle.”

In 2023, 2,999 citations were issued during the April and May Click It or Ticket enforcement periods, 52% higher than in 2022. The growing number of citations has continued this year, with 3,201 handed out during the first two enforcement periods of 2024.

“Colorado’s seat belt usage rate is trending upwards, but it is still far below the national average. As a state, we must continue to improve our usage, which should, in turn, reduce traffic fatalities,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “This is a serious matter and a simple way to protect yourself in a crash.”

There was an 8% decrease in unbuckled fatalities in 2023 compared to 2022 as more people were buckling up, according to CDOT surveys. All types of vehicles saw improvements in seat belt usage, from pickups to sport utility vehicles (SUV).

Fifteen children aged five or younger were killed on Colorado roadways in 2024, representing 25% of all deaths in that age range in the last decade. With nearly 80% of Colorado parents and caregivers reportedly not using their child’s car seat correctly, now is a crucial time to educate yourself on how to secure your child correctly in a seat belt or car seat. Learn more about child car safety at CarSeatsColorado.com.

Colorado’s seat belt laws

Colorado law requires the driver and every front seat passenger of a motor vehicle and the driver and every passenger in an autocycle equipped with a safety belt system to wear a seat belt whenever the vehicle is in operation on a street or highway.

• 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 ages, 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.

Crash Not Accident

Note to reporters: Crashes are no accident — they are preventable. We would appreciate you saying 'crash' instead of 'accident' when reporting.

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 89%. For more information about seat belt safety and enforcement citation numbers, visit SeatBeltsColorado.com.