Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement cites 1,336 drivers
Traffic Safety Pulse News
CDOT and 61 law enforcement agencies across Colorado recently teamed up for a statewide Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement period. A total of 1,336 drivers were cited between Nov. 16 and Nov. 29 for unrestrained vehicle occupants. This includes 98 drivers who had improperly restrained children under the age of 15 in their vehicle.
Among the agencies that issued the highest number of citations were the Loveland Police Department with 197 citations, Greeley Police Department with 178 citations, and Denver Police Department with 132 citations. In addition, Colorado State Patrol cited 214 drivers. .
Fines for not buckling up start at $65, and parents or caregivers caught with an improperly restrained child can receive a minimum fine of $82. A full list of the citation results for all 61 law enforcement agencies can be found on the Traffic Safety Reporting Portal.
In 2019, 196 unbuckled drivers and passengers were killed in crashes in the state, accounting for more than half of Colorado’s 377 total passenger vehicle deaths. Unbuckled drivers and passengers represent 14% of vehicle occupants, according to a recent CDOT survey on seat belt usage. Colorado’s seat belt use rate is 86%, below the national average of 90%.
From 2015 to 2019, Denver County had 60 unbuckled vehicle fatalities, accounting for over half of the 108 total passenger vehicle deaths. Denver County’s seat belt use rate has improved to 93%, one of the highest in the state.
From 2013 to 2017, 30 children under 8 years old were killed in passenger vehicle crashes in Colorado. More than half were in an improperly used or installed car seat — or no car seat at all. Parents and caregivers can learn more about Colorado child passenger safety laws, car seat recommendations and recalls at CarSeatsColorado.com.
The last statewide Click It or Ticket enforcement period was in July 2020. Sixty participating law enforcement agencies cited 2,504 drivers for not buckling up.
For the November enforcement period, CDOT partnered with CSP troopers and law enforcement agencies across Colorado to record messages on why buckling up is so important. To view these videos, visit: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ceqyux447h33z93/AAAi8vTmnKu3NXzzdvt1pE9Pa?dl=0.
CDOT’s new seat belt campaign, Common Bond, launched in July 2020. It highlights that while Coloradans hold passionate opinions and may not agree on everything, we can all get behind seat belts and the importance of buckling up. The campaign was featured on billboards, posters, bus tails, social media, and radio PSAs. To view campaign materials, visit: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c1bu6ktdw79jkoa/AADcw32hHrh1OHNV26mCSWKga?dl=0.
