Colorado’s Unbuckled Deaths Rose in 2011

Heather Halpape, CDOT

Those most at-risk of dying in a crash without a seat belt are young men, pick-up truck occupants, night time drivers and passengers, Hispanics and those traveling in rural areas. Here are some statistics from 2011
• YOUNG MEN:
• 73% unbuckled deaths in Colorado were men -- nearly half of them were age 18 to 34.
• PICKUP TRUCK OCCUPANTS:
• Pickup trucks are twice as likely to roll over in a crash.
• 67% of those killed in a pickup truck were NOT wearing a seat belt.
• RURAL DRIVERS & PASSENGERS:
• Nearly 6 out of 10 (58%) who died on rural roadways were NOT wearing a seat belt (compared to 3 out of 10 in urban areas, or 34%).
• NIGHTIME DRIVERS & PASSENGERS:
• 67% of people killed in Colorado crashes at night were not wearing seat belts, compared to 53% during the day.
• HISPANIC DRIVERS & PASSENGERS:
• Hispanics are over-represented in unrestrained fatalities, comprising 26% of unbuckled deaths in Colorado last year, despite making up 21% of the state’s population.

Seat belt use saves thousands of lives in Colorado and across America each year. Statistics show that in 2010 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,546 lives nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
During last year’s May Click It or Ticket enforcement period, 9,224 seat belt citations were written. To view seat belt citation results by agency after the enforcement period, visit www.seatbeltscolorado.com.
COLORADO LAW
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. Click It or Ticket enforcement focuses on speeding and aggressive drivers. Drivers who are stopped for a traffic violation and are not using a seat belt will be ticketed. Seat belt fines are $65 per violation.
Colorado's child-passenger safety law and its teen driver seat belt law are primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child in the vehicle or if a teen driver and their passengers are not buckled up. The public can find more information about the law www.seatbeltscolorado.com and www.carseatscolorado.com.

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Colorado’s Unbuckled Deaths Rose in 2011 Heather Halpape, CDOT Those most at-risk of dying in a crash without a seat belt are young men, pick-up truck occupants, night time drivers and passengers, Hispanics and those traveling in rural areas. Here are some statistics from 2011 • YOUNG MEN: • 73% unbuckled deaths in Colorado were men -- nearly half of them were age 18 to 34. • PICKUP TRUCK OCCUPANTS: • Pickup trucks are twice as likely to roll over in a crash. • 67% of those killed in a pickup truck were NOT wearing a seat belt. • RURAL DRIVERS & PASSENGERS: • Nearly 6 out of 10 (58%) who died on rural roadways were NOT wearing a seat belt (compared to 3 out of 10 in urban areas, or 34%). • NIGHTIME DRIVERS & PASSENGERS: • 67% of people killed in Colorado crashes at night were not wearing seat belts, compared to 53% during the day. • HISPANIC DRIVERS & PASSENGERS: • Hispanics are over-represented in unrestrained fatalities, comprising 26% of unbuckled deaths in Colorado last year, despite making up 21% of the state’s population. Seat belt use saves thousands of lives in Colorado and across America each year. Statistics show that in 2010 alone, seat belts saved an estimated 12,546 lives nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During last year’s May Click It or Ticket enforcement period, 9,224 seat belt citations were written. To view seat belt citation results by agency after the enforcement period, visit www.seatbeltscolorado.com. COLORADO LAW 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. Click It or Ticket enforcement focuses on speeding and aggressive drivers. Drivers who are stopped for a traffic violation and are not using a seat belt will be ticketed. Seat belt fines are $65 per violation. Colorado's child-passenger safety law and its teen driver seat belt law are primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child in the vehicle or if a teen driver and their passengers are not buckled up. The public can find more information about the law www.seatbeltscolorado.com and www.carseatscolorado.com. # # #
Chamber E-News - May/June 2012