Colorado drivers are being urged to buckle up starting this Monday as part of a statewide “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign aimed at reducing traffic fatalities. The initiative, running from May 12 to June 1, involves the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Colorado State Patrol, and 39 local law enforcement agencies.

Statistics paint a stark picture: 49 vehicle occupants have already lost their lives on Colorado roads this year due to not wearing seatbelts – representing 38 percent of all traffic fatalities. Last year, 1,782 citations were issued for unbuckled drivers and children, demonstrating the ongoing need for increased vigilance.

“For every excuse, there is only one response for why troopers want you to wear a seatbelt,” stated Col. Matthew C. Packard, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “No other safety feature in your vehicle is more effective in reducing your risk of dying in a crash than wearing a seat belt.”

The campaign builds on previous successes, with statewide seatbelt use currently at 88 percent, up from 79 percent in 2005 – largely thanks to the Click It or Ticket program which began in Colorado in 2002. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration estimates that wearing a seat belt in the front seat can reduce the risk of fatal injury by 45 percent.

Key Points of the Campaign:

• Increased Patrols: Law enforcement will be actively patrolling and issuing citations for unbuckled drivers and passengers, including unrestrained children.
• Focus on Teens & Children: Colorado’s Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) law requires all drivers under 18 and their passengers to wear seatbelts – a primary enforcement measure. Similarly, the Child Passenger Safety Law mandates seatbelt use for any child under 18 in a vehicle.
• Significant Citations Last Year: During the April enforcement period, over 1,108 citations were issued. The Westminster Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Larimer County Sheriff’s Office led the way in citation numbers.
• Fines Start at $65: Violators face fines beginning at $65, with caregivers of improperly restrained children facing minimum fines of $82.

CDOT is utilizing public service announcements emphasizing that “physics” dictates seatbelt effectiveness. Resources for parents and caregivers can be found at CarSeatsColorado.com, offering information on laws, recommendations, and recalls.

“Drivers need to buckle up at all times, even when they think it’s safe,” said CDOT's Office of Transportation Safety Director Darrell Lingk. “Seat belts save lives in all situations.”

Editor’s note: Portions of this article have been augmented with the assistance of Large Language Models for analysis, with human review, editing, and original material.