x
Breaking News
More () »

Law enforcement cracks down on rural Colorado seat belt violations

Nearly 1,300 rural drivers were cited for seat belt violations between March 26 and April 1.
Credit: Thinkstock

KUSA — Nearly 1,300 rural Colorado drivers were cited for seat belt violations between March 26 and April 1 during a Click It or Ticket enforcement period.

The Colorado Department of Transportation, Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies participated, citing a total of 1279 drivers. That's a slight decrease from last year when 1,341 drivers were cited.

According to CDOT, 16 percent of Coloradans do not wear seat belts and rural areas historically have low seat belt use rates.

“Seat belt use is the law in Colorado - and for a very good reason since it can save your life,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT, in a news release. “Buckling your seat belt is quick and easy. CDOT hopes that those who were cited remember to buckle up every time they enter a vehicle. You never know when you’ll be involved in a crash.”

Forty seven agencies participated in the heightened enforcement with the following agencies recording the highest number of tickets:

  • Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office - 82 citations
  • Rifle Police Department - 73 citations
  • Fort Lupton Police Department - 61 citations
  • CSP - 680 citations

A full list of the citations issued is available at SeatBeltsColorado.com.

“Cars have evolved in countless ways over the past 50 years, but the one feature that hasn’t changed much is seat belts. There is a reason for that,” said Col. Matthew Packard, Chief of the CSP, in a news release. “Seat belts save lives. Remember to buckle up every trip regardless of the distance or speed you are traveling.”

Before You Leave, Check This Out