Pueblo activation shines light on poor seat belt usage

Seat belt usage in Pueblo County falls far below the state and national average. To call attention to recent data that shows only 67 percent of vehicle occupants in Pueblo County buckle up, CDOT, Colorado State Patrol, local emergency responders and student athletes joined forces during a news conference on Sept. 28. The event was held on the scenic Pueblo Riverwalk with creative light displays and the “Seat Belt Convincer.”

CDOT shared the statistics of Pueblo County seat belt use while its partners, including a trauma nurse at Parkview Medical Center and firefighters from Pueblo Fire, provided uniquely powerful perspectives on the issue. The Colorado State Patrol Troop 2D also demonstrated the consequences of not buckling up with the “Convincer,” a machine that simulates the impact associated with a sudden stop at five to seven miles per hour— a force up to five times a person’s body weight. Local high school football players, and broadcast and print reporters, were allowed to ride the “Convincer” to experience the force of a low-speed crash.

The event used additional creative assets that featured “The Reasons” campaign messaging customized for Pueblo. Branded water bottles, pop up banners, sidewalk decals, and spotlights on bridges over the riverwalk aimed to bring greater awareness to seat belt safety to the community.
The event garnered media coverage from the Pueblo Chieftain, and broadcast news affiliates KRDO, KKTV, and Fox 21 TV.