CDOT launches new seat belt campaign to coincide with Click It or Ticket enforcement beginning July 12

Starting Sunday, July 12, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local law enforcement agencies statewide will begin a weeklong Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement period.

The summer enforcement period also marks the launch of CDOT’s latest seat belt safety campaign, Common Bond. The campaign features a variety of contrasting images to underscore that, even though Coloradans hold passionate opinions and may not agree on everything, we can all get behind seat belts. The Common Bond campaign underscores that despite our differences, the majority of Coloradans do buckle up.

As a state, Colorado’s seat belt use rate currently sits at 88% — slightly below the national average of 90%.

CDOT’s campaign is featured on billboards, posters, bus tails, social media, and radio PSAs. 

In 2019, 196 unbuckled drivers and passengers were killed in crashes in the state, accounting for more than half of the 377 total passenger vehicle deaths. The counties that had the most unbuckled deaths in 2019 were Adams (25), Weld (23) and El Paso (15).

In 2018, eight unrestrained fatalities involved children ages 14 or younger.

“Choosing to wear a seat belt can be a lifesaving decision. Drivers and passengers wearing seat belts are much more likely to survive a crash. It’s an easy choice,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “Please remember to buckle up and remind fellow drivers and passengers to do the same.”  

During the statewide Click It or Ticket enforcement last year, 775 unrestrained drivers and passengers were issued citations in communities across Colorado.

“Unfortunately, there are people who continue to believe they do not need to fasten their seat belt. Some drivers think that because there is less traffic or they are only traveling a short distance that seat belts are not always necessary,” said Col. Matthew Packard, chief of the CSP. “That couldn’t be further from the truth. The reality is, 52% of collisions occur within a 5-mile radius from home, and 69% occur within a 10-mile radius of home. We hope every citation issued is a reminder to always buckle up every time you enter a vehicle.”

In 2019, the top five counties with the lowest seat belt use in Colorado were all rural, according to a CDOT study. Those counties include:

• Moffat (71%)
• Cheyenne (74%)
• Pueblo (80%)
• Delta (81%)
• Weld (81%)

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.

Fines for not buckling up in Colorado start at $65, and parents or caregivers caught with an improperly restrained child can receive a minimum fine of $82.

From 2013 to 2017, 30 children aged 0 to 8 were killed in passenger vehicle crashes in Colorado. Among these, 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, recommendations and recalls at CarSeatsColorado.com.

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 86%. For more information about seat belt safety and enforcement citation numbers, visit codot.gov/safety/seatbelts-carseats.

COVID-19

Safe transportation infrastructure is essential for emergency first responders and freight drivers as Colorado navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. With that in mind, road maintenance and construction continues on CDOT projects with social distancing and other health safety measures to reduce COVID-19 exposure on the worksite. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced guidelines for construction activities. The public is urged to join the campaign for #DoingMyPartCO by practicing social distancing, wearing face masks, staying at home when possible, and avoiding nonessential travel. With fewer vehicles on the roads, CDOT crews will be able to work more efficiently and safely.  

WHOLE SYSTEM. WHOLE SAFETY.

To heighten safety awareness, CDOT recently announced its Whole System — Whole Safety initiative. This project takes a systematic statewide approach to safety combining the benefits of CDOT’s programs that address driving behaviors, our built environment and the organization's operations. The goal is to improve the safety of Colorado’s transportation network by reducing the rate and severity of crashes and improving the safety of all transportation modes. The program has one simple mission—to get everyone home safely.