Today, the annual statewide May Mobilization Click It or Ticket (CIOT) campaign kicks off.

CIOT is the largest seat belt enforcement campaign, running from May 20 to June 2.

The campaign supports the Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT) Whole System Whole Safety initiative and vision is to reduce the number of traffic related deaths and injuries.

According to a CDOT press release, traffic fatalities in Colorado are down 23% from last year. 

"In 2018, there were 220 unbuckled fatalities on Colorado’s roads, accounting for about half of the 416 total passenger vehicle deaths. After three years of decline in seat belt use in Colorado, there was a slight increase to 86 percent in 2018 – but well below the national average of 90 percent." -CDOT Press Release

If you decide to not wear a seat belt and get caught the fines start at $65.

Improperly restrained or unrestrained children in vehicles result in the driver receiving a minimum fine of $82.  

According to a CDOT press release, last year, 5,678 tickets were issued to drivers or passengers for not wearing seat belts during the May Mobilization enforcement period, including 234 citations for unrestrained or improperly restrained children under the age of 15.

Below are the Colorado seat belt laws per a CDOT press release.

·        Adults — 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.

·        Teens — Colorado’s Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) Law requires all drivers under 18 and their passengers, regardless of their age, to wear seat belts. This is a primary enforcement, meaning teens can be pulled over simply for not wearing a seat belt or having passengers without seat belts.

·        Children — Colorado's Child Passenger Safety Law is a primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child under age 16 in the vehicle.

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