5,000 citations issued so far in 2024 for people not wearing seat belts in Colorado
Colorado State Patrol is really stressing the importance of wearing a seat belt while driving. Troopers tell CBS Colorado from January 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2024, they have issued at least 5,000 citations for people not wearing them.
CBS Colorado First Traffic Traffic Tracker Reporter Brian Sherrod met with Trooper Gabriel Moltrer with Colorado State Patrol to talk about these high statistics. Trooper Moltrer said for the first half of the year, this is pretty high.
CSP shared their seat belt citations issued from them over the past three years:
- 2023 - 10,238
- 2022 - 11,635
- 2021 - 14,606
When troopers pull people over, they first thing they look for is anyone not wearing a seat belt. Drivers and passengers can receive a citation. Troopers tell CBS Colorado wearing a seat belt can make the biggest difference between life or death in a crash.
"Just make sure you're wearing your seat belt," Trooper Moltrer said. "It's for your protection. We don't want to be there having to have you go to the hospital after the event of a crash or worst case, having to make those notifications to your loved ones that you are not making it home."
Troopers shared these numbers with CBS Colorado of the top five worse seat belt usage in Colorado.
· Jefferson County (73.5%)
· Pueblo County (74.46%)
· El Paso County (79.35%)
· Logan County (83.78%)
· Morgan County (84.24%)
Troopers are reminding everyone that Colorado is a zero-tolerance state when it comes to not wearing a seat belt.