Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Leads State in May Click It or Ticket Enforcement

1,760 drivers cited during May Mobilization Click It or Ticket enforcement period

Larimer County Sherriff’s Office issued the most citations

Statewide — Days are getting longer and hotter, prompting Colorado residents to head outdoors and soak up the sun. With more travelers hitting the road the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and 60 partnering law enforcement agencies held the longest seat belt enforcement period of the year from May 13 to June 2.

The May Mobilization Click It or Ticket enforcement resulted in 1,760 drivers ticketed for not wearing a seat belt or having unbuckled passengers. The Colorado Department of Transportation oversees the implementation of the campaign. During the campaign, 73 drivers were cited for improperly restrained children in their vehicle. Also, 125 teenagers were cited for not wearing a seat belt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the majority of teenagers involved in fatal crashes aren’t buckled up. CDOT encourages parents and caregivers to communicate the significance of seat belt safety to teens.

According to preliminary data, the law enforcement agencies that issued the most citations during the enforcement period were the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (120 citations), Loveland Police Department (108 citations), Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (81 citations) and Lakewood Police Department (77). The Colorado State Patrol issued 758 citations.

Caption: CDOT data graph displaying agencies with the most citations in the 2024 May Wave Enforcement Period. Number of citations: Larimer County Sheriff’s Office: 120; Loveland PD: 108; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office: 81; Lakewood PD: 77. Source: Seat Belt Enforcement Reporting Portal

“Our seat belt enforcement efforts allow motorists to reassess their priorities regarding wearing this life-saving device. If you don’t want to take three seconds to buckle up, we don’t mind taking a few minutes to issue a citation,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Make it a daily habit, not just because it is required by law, but because it is the best way to protect yourself in a crash.”

The summer travel season can be especially dangerous. Last year, 277 fatal crashes occurred on Colorado roadways between May and August, representing 38% of the year’s total fatalities. Wearing your seatbelt is the best way to protect yourself in a crash. Buckling up helps keep you secure in your car. On the other hand, not buckling puts you at risk of being thrown out of the vehicle in a crash, which is almost always deadly. Another misconception is that having airbags in a vehicle means you don’t need to wear a seatbelt. However, airbags are intended to work with seat belts, not substitute them. Without a seatbelt, the impact of an airbag can cause serious injury or even be fatal.

According to the 2023 Colorado Statewide Seat Belt Survey, the state’s seat belt usage reached a record high of 88.6%. However, this still falls below the national average of 92%. CDOT aims to maintain this growing trend in seat belt usage by encouraging compliance around the clock, throughout the entire year, not just during specific initiatives like May Mobilization.

“While we are delighted to see a heightened sense of urgency about the importance of buckling up, we need to do more,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Many Coloradans still aren’t using their seat belts regularly. To reduce fatalities on Colorado roads, we must influence the behaviors of those around us and remind them that buckling up is their best line of defense in a crash.”

In Colorado, seat belt infractions start at $65, and parents or caregivers caught with an improperly restrained child will receive a minimum fine of up to $82.

The next Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement period begins July 22 and goes through August 2.

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

About CDOT 

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s mission is to provide the best multi-modal transportation system that most effectively and safely moves people, goods and information. CDOT maintains more than 23,000 lane miles of highway, more than 3,400 bridges and 35 mountain passes. Our team of employees works tirelessly to reduce the rate and severity of crashes and improve the safety of all modes of transportation. CDOT leverages partnerships with a range of private and public organizations and operates Bustang, an interregional express bus service. Find more details at codot.gov