CDOT issues warning for Click it or Ticket: 50% of unbuckled occupants die in crashes

DENVER (KDVR) — A seat belt enforcement period for Colorado began Monday and will last into August — an added reminder for drivers and passengers to buckle up.

The Colorado Department of Transportation is supporting Click it or Ticket operations from July 22 through Aug. 2 conducted by the Colorado State Patrol and 61 local law enforcement agencies. The goal is to raise awareness and increase the number of people who are following the law, which in turn should save lives.

While Coloradans have been trending toward using seat belts more often, the statewide rate is still below the national average. Earlier this year, CSP said 88% of Coloradans use a seat belt in the car, compared to the national average of 92%. However, all vehicle types saw improvements in seat belt usage in 2023, from pickups to SUVs, according to CDOT surveys.

Additionally, there was an 8% decrease in unbuckled fatalities in 2023 compared to 2022 which CDOT credited to more people buckling up.

“As a state, we must continue to improve our usage, which should, in turn, reduce traffic fatalities,” said Darrell Lingk, CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director in the enforcement period announcement. “This is a serious matter and a simple way to protect yourself in a crash.”

Not using seat belts has a deadly cost

During the recent April and May Click it or Ticket enforcement periods, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office and Loveland Police Department reported the highest number of seat belt citations.

The cost of not wearing a seat belt is evidenced by nine Colorado counties, including Eagle, Summit and Las Animas counties, that shared that all passenger vehicle deaths in those regions involved people not using seat belts. The state average for surviving a crash without a seat belt is 50%, CDOT reported.

CDOT also noted that 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 Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, in a release. “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, law enforcement issued 52% more citations during the April and May seat belt enforcement periods (2,999 citations total). The trend of more citations continued into 2024, with 3,201 handed out during the first two enforcement periods of 2024 .

CDOT also reported that 15 children aged 5 or younger have been killed on Colorado roadways this year, which represents a quarter of all deaths in that age range in the last decade. Nearly 80% of Colorado parents and caregivers reportedly do not use their child’s car seat correctly.

Are Coloradans required to use seat belts under law?

Under Colorado law, a car’s driver and front seat passengers must wear a seat belt while the vehicle is in motion. Additionally, passengers of an autocycle (three-wheeled motorcycle) are required to wear a safety belt if such a system is equipped.

It’s important to note that Colorado has a secondary enforcement law for adult drivers and front-seat passengers — that means if drivers are stopped for a primary law infraction, cops can also issue a seat belt ticket.

However, the rules are different for teen drivers: Drivers under 18 and their passengers are required to all wear seat belts, regardless of age. Teens can be pulled over for not wearing a seat belt, or having passengers who are not wearing a seat belt.

The same type of rules apply to children. If a child under the age of 16 is unrestrained or improperly restrained, that driver can be ticketed.

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