Heightened seatbelt enforcement starts as traffic fatalities surge
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Of the 43 people who died on El Paso County roadways last year, 25 of them were not wearing a seatbelt.
“Last year, we saw a 66% increase in the number of unbuckled deaths in El Paso County," said Sam Cole with the Colorado Department of Transportation. "That’s a bigger increase than anywhere else in the state.”
CDOT is running the “Click It or Ticket” enforcement period now, so drivers can get in the habit of buckling up in time for Memorial Day; a day that historically marks a 100-day uptick in traffic deaths in Colorado.
“It is going to be strict enforcement of our seatbelt law," said Cole. "If you are pulled over for another reason, and you’re not wearing a seatbelt, you will be ticketed. No warnings will be given out.”
The enforcement period includes children not properly restrained in their car seats.
Between 2013 and 2017, 30 kids were killed in car crashes in Colorado. More than half of those children were not properly restrained in a car seat, if in one at all.
Deputy Lora Robblee with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said they see kids not properly restrained in car seats almost every single day.
“It's either kids are not in the proper seat based on their height or weight or age, or a lot of times they’re in the front passenger seat when they should still be in the rear passenger seat,” said Robblee.
Child restraint systems can reduce the injury or death of a child by over 70%. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office is urging parents to take the proper precautions ahead of the busy summer travel season.
“The death or injury of a child is one of the most devastating things we can witness as police officers," said Robblee. "Especially when it's such an easy fix, and just requires parents taking a little more time and following through.”
To make sure your child's carseat is right for their age and size, and that it's properly installed in your car, check out these resources:
Car Seats Colorado — Colorado Department of Transportation (codot.gov)
