CDOT study shows most Coloradans are buckling up, but not enough
COLORADO (KRDO) -- The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) conducted a statewide seat belt study this year and the results are, meh.
According to CDOT, Coloradans showed only minor improvements in wearing seat belts in 2022. The study showed only a slight increase in seat belt use from 86.6 percent to 87 percent. The national seat belt use rate is 90 percent.
CDOT said, simply put, Colorado drivers arent' buckling up as often as they should.
The full report can be downloaded as a PDF here.
The agency said overall, Colorado has seen a 6% increase in seat belt use over the last nine years. The largest improvement is with commercial vehicles, which improved to 79.2% from 65.5% in 2013.
Data shows that Weld County is the most improved with an increase from 71 percent to 80 percent in 2022. Fremont, Chafee, and Pueblo counties are the worst three when it comes to buckling up.
- Weld County (80.1%)
- Fremont County (78.1%)
- Chaffee County (69.2%)
- Pueblo County (67.6%)
Grand, Garfield, Arapahoe, and Denver counties are the top four.
- Grand County (96.3%)
- Garfield County (96.3%)
- Arapahoe County (93.8%)
- Denver County (93.6%).
“The majority of Coloradans are doing the right thing, and seeing any increase in seat belt use is encouraging,” said Chief Matthew C. Packard, Colorado State Patrol. “But 87% means there are still Coloradans who are failing to buckle up for their safety. I want those folks to know that seatbelts significantly increase your chances of surviving a collision. Crashes aren't planned, buckle up!”
In 2022, CDOT partnered with the Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies for three Click It or Ticket enforcement periods, citing 2,735 drivers for improper restraint use. The law enforcement agencies that issued the most citations were the Castle Rock Police Department (289), Colorado Springs Police Department (285), Colorado State Patrol (229), Loveland Police Department (197), and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (157).
You can learn more about the Click It or Ticket campaign and Colorado's seat belt laws at codot.gov/safety/seatbelts.
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 — All drivers under 18 years old and their passengers, regardless of their age, must 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.
From 2016 to 2020, 35 children under the age of 14 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.
