This week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launches the Click It or Ticket campaign. Here are some things to keep in mind regarding seat belt safety in Colorado.

• In Colorado, 166 people died in car accidents while not wearing safety belts in 2010. Nearly half of those fatalities could have been prevented if they had all been wearing seatbelts.
• The minimum fine for not wearing a seatbelt is $65.
• Since the Click It or Ticket campaign started in Colorado, seatbelt use increased by 10 percent and unrestrained fatalities decreased by 56 percent.
• Colorado state law requires everyone in the driver and passenger seats to wear a seatbelt, unless:
  • The car was built before 1968, when the federal government required seatbelts in every car
  • The occupant has a physical or psychological disability. The occupant must have a doctor’s authorization at all times to avoid a citation.
• Men aged 18-34 are statistically the least likely demographic to wear seatbelts.
• A 2011 survey by the Colorado Department of Transportation found that statewide seatbelt use was 82 percent. This is just below that year’s national average of 84 percent.
• Vans had the highest amount of seatbelt compliance in the state with 89 percent. Trucks had the lowest with 71 percent.
• Seatbelt use in Colorado increased by one percent between 2007 and 2011.

During this year’s Click It or Ticket campaign, make sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled in. If you have children in the car, set a positive example by wearing your seatbelt every time you drive.

The Metier Law Firm, LLC – Denver injury attorneys