Over 5K seatbelt tickets issued by Colorado State Patrol this year
DENVER (KDVR) — The year is halfway over, and the Colorado State Patrol has issued thousands of tickets for seatbelts.
From January to July of 2024, CSP has issued more than 5,000 safety restraint tickets. With six months still left in the year, troopers are hoping to drive down that number.
Colorado DMV reports statewide outage affecting driver’s license offices
“There are still many Coloradoans who see seatbelt laws as an invasion of their rights. Troopers hear it all the time. Whether you believe the laws are for your own good or created by insurance lobbyists, these laws are enforced across the state,” said CSP in a press release.
Since 2021, the patrol has handed out over 10,000 seatbelt tickets each year:
2021: 14,606 tickets issued
2022: 11,635 tickets issued
2023: 10,238 tickets issued
Through education and enforcement, CSP hopes 2024 won’t measure up to past years.
Which counties had the worst seatbelt usage?
With more than 10,000 tickets issued last year alone, CSP looked at which counties had the lowest rate of seatbelt usage.
The five counties that ranked at the bottom were:
Jefferson County at 73.5%
Pueblo County at 74.46%
El Paso County at 79.35%
Logan County at 83.78%
Morgan County at 84.24%
While these counties had the most drivers foregoing their seatbelts, CSP said it appears the drivers on Colorado roads are buckling up more than in previous years.
Motorcyclists in critical condition following crash near Mead
In a report released in May, the Colorado Statewide Seat Belt Survey said 88.6% of Coloradans buckled up when behind the wheel. That’s the highest rate ever observed in the state, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
CSP said last year only 15% of unbuckled people survived a deadly crash, while 85% of people who buckled up survived.
“We can’t stress this enough: wearing a seat belt dramatically improves the chances that you will survive a car crash,” said Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
