“Click It or Ticket” Seat Belt Enforcement Campaign Revs Up Again

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) is committed to stopping one of the primary causes of death on Colorado roadways: driving without a seat belt.

One of the ways they are attempting to accomplish this is through the Click It or Ticket campaign. According to the CDOT, 7,554 seat belt violations were issued from May 12 to May 25. However, despite these efforts, 10 unbuckled fatalities still occurred during that time period, 25 percent more than during the same period the previous year.

The next campaign will focus on nighttime hours and will take place from July 21 to July 27, 2014. Officers will be on the lookout for violators. Learning about Colorado seat belt laws may seem unnecessary, but based on the above-stated figures, it might benefit a family member or friend.

Darrell Lingk, director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT, explains the importance of the seat belt crackdown: “These statistics aren’t just numbers. They represent the lives of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and friends. Each one of us has the choice to drive sober and buckle up. And it’s sad that those choices aren’t always made, which can result in unnecessary injuries and deaths.”

5 Need-to-Know Facts about Seat Belts

The CDOT and the Colorado State Patrol share a few important facts about seat belts that all Colorado drivers should be aware of:

• Wearing a seat belt increases your chance of survival in a crash by 50 percent.
• Seat belts are not inconvenient; it takes two seconds to fasten and can be adjusted for comfort.
• Airbags without the use of a seat belt are only 42 percent effective at providing protection.
• A driver can be ticketed if the front-seat passenger fails to wear a seat belt.
• In 2008, Colorado troopers issued 44,807 seatbelt tickets. A seat belt violation can mean $65 minimum in fines for adults ($82 if your child is unrestrained.)

Free Click It or Ticket Materials

The CDOT offers free downloadable Click It or Ticket campaign materials to help spread the word. They offer an informative brochure, flyers, a poster and several public service announcements. You can download them by visiting the CDOT site > Programs > Seat Belts > Campaign Materials or by sending your request to Jeri Jo Johnson at [email protected].

Additionally, the CDOT offers three poignant bumper sticks that get right to crux of the Click It or Ticket campaign. The stickers, which are meant to drive the importance of seat belt usage home, read:

• “Seat belts are for suckers.” ~Guy Who Wants to Date Your Girlfriend
• “Visualize a world free of seat belts.” ~United Coffin Makers
• “You don’t need no stinkin’ seat belt.” ~Beneficiaries of Your Will

Seat Belts Save Lives

Wearing a seat belt is the law in Denver, and adhering to the rule will help you avoid citations, fines and liability. The most important reason for wearing your seat belt, though, is that it simply saves lives.

The CDOT’s brochure shares the thoughts of a mother who lost a child who was unrestrained in a car crash: “It only takes two seconds to buckle up, and that two seconds can change the lives of the ones you love forever. Seat belt use has an impact on everyone in your life — as a mother, I urge you to start the habit of buckling up with your children to keep them safe throughout their lives.”

For any legal questions or concerns car accidents or liability in Colorado, you may contact the law office of D.J. Banovitz anytime for a free legal consultation in Denver: 303-300-5060.