Analysis: More Coloradans are buckling up than ever before

Heather Willard
·3 min read

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado’s most recent Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign resulted in nearly 1,000 drivers given citations for failing to wear their seat belts while driving, but the state’s overall seat belt usage has increased, according to the most recent data.

The enforcement period lasted 14 days (April 1-14) and 56 Colorado law enforcement agencies participated. The agencies that issued the most citations were the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (149), Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (77) and the Loveland Police Department (71).

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In total, 943 drivers were issued citations, including 26 drivers who had improperly restrained children in their vehicles.

However, the Colorado State Patrol is celebrating that drivers on Colorado’s roads seem to be more likely now to buckle up than in previous years. According to the Colorado Statewide Seat Belt Survey, 88.6% of Coloradans buckle up when behind the wheel. That’s the highest rate ever observed in the state, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation — meanwhile, the national average is 92%. This survey was conducted in June of 2023 and included observations of more than 90,000 vehicles across 744 survey locations.

“Despite the positive trends in seat belt use in Colorado, we can’t stop addressing the 12% of people who still do not buckle up,” said CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk in a release. “If this includes you or someone you know, we invite you to consider the facts. Studies show that wearing a seat belt reduces your risk of death or serious injury in a crash by up to 65%. Buckling up is a simple yet life-saving choice.”

CDOT reported that in 2023, 81% of occupants who survived fatal crashes in Colorado were wearing a seat belt. Comparatively, only 19% of unbuckled occupants survived, according to CDOT.

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The state patrol also noted the five counties with the highest seat belt usage rates from 2023:

  • Arapahoe County (98.16%)

  • Garfield County (97.38%)

  • Douglas County (96.82%)

  • Grand County (96.73%)

  • Park County (95.82%)

According to the 2023 seat belt survey, three counties with seat belt usage rates fell below 80% — El Paso (79.35%), Pueblo (74.46%) and Jefferson (73.50%). The seat belt study also found that two more counties in 2023 scored over 90% for seat belt use than in 2022.

“While you can’t always control the speed or attention level of the drivers around you, Coloradoans can take control of their safety – just boss up and buckle up,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, in a CDOT release. “Every ride, no matter how short or long, should start with a seat belt click. Make it a non-negotiable part of getting into the car for your friends and family.”

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The worst offenders across the state were trucks and commercial vehicles, according to CDOT’s 2023 seat belt study. The commercial vehicle seat belt use rate across the state was 83.5%, improving from a 67.5% rate in 2014. Truckers used seat belts about 82.9% of the time, according to the study, an increase of 14.5% from 2014.

SUVs were the most likely to have seat belts in use, a trend they’ve maintained for the past few years. SUVs have scored around 90% for the past six years, according to the study. In 2023, SUV seat belt use rate was approximately 91.4%.

CSP launched a campaign to promote seat belt use on May 1 titled “Buckle like a Boss,” encouraging motorists and passengers that using a seat belt is a “boss move” to stay safe.

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