714 Tickets Handed Out During the July Seat Belt Enforcement Period

As the summer draws to an end, more Coloradans are taking action to buckle up and stay safe on the roads. With the help of the Colorado State Patrol and 53 partnering law agencies, the Colorado Department of Transportation continues to raise awareness of the important role seat belts play in reducing traffic fatalities.

From July 22 through Aug. 2, CDOT supported the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that travelers were securely fastened in their vehicles. This was part of the July Wave Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement campaign involving 53 law enforcement agencies across the state. During the enforcement period, 714 drivers were cited for not wearing a seat belt, with 60 tickets issued specifically to motorists who had improperly restrained children in their vehicle.

During the three seat belt enforcement periods since April, a total of 3,911 citations have been issued to drivers in Colorado.

Driving without a seat belt can be deadly. In 2023, Colorado recorded 216 deaths from crashes involving unrestrained passengers. There have been 17 unbuckled fatalities in Weld County this year, along with 13 in Adams County and 11 in El Paso County. These are the counties in Colorado with the highest number of unbuckled fatalities so far in 2024.

“Seat belt use falls when people are in slower speed zones and residential areas. But it’s crucial to prioritize safety regardless of the speed limit,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Seat belts are designed to safeguard passengers and can considerably reduce the chance of serious injury or death in a crash.”

Seat belt usage is improving in Colorado. The state currently has an 89% seat belt use rate — only slightly behind the national average of nearly 92%. Notably, the counties in Colorado with the lowest seat belt usage rates include Jefferson, Pueblo, El Paso, Logan and Morgan. Wearing a seat belt doesn’t just increase the likelihood of survival in the event of a crash — it’s the law.

Caption: 2023 Lowest Seat Belt Usage Rate by County in Colorado. Data is as follows: 82.24% in Morgan County, 83.78% in Logan County, 79.35% in El Paso County, 74.46% in Pueblo County, and 73.50% in Jefferson County. Source: 2023 Colorado Statewide Seat Belt Survey

“Despite ongoing awareness and enforcement efforts, a significant number of Coloradans continue to neglect regular seat belt use,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Misconceptions persist that bigger vehicles provide more protection and seat belts aren’t needed for short distances. We want drivers to know that wearing a seat belt remains the most effective defense in vehicle crashes at any rate of speed and in all vehicle types.”

Colorado law mandates that both the driver and passengers in a motor vehicle must wear a seat belt whenever the vehicle is in motion. Drivers who fail to comply with the law face a fine starting at $65 for drivers, whereas parents or caregivers found with improperly restrained children can be fined up to $82.

For more information on seat belt safety and the Click It or Ticket campaign, visit the CDOT seat belt safety webpage.

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.