Colorado authorities cited 6,942 people last month for not wearing seatbelts as part of a 20-day enforcement campaign to increase the number of motorists and their passengers who buckle up.
“In 2013, 62 lives in Colorado could have been saved if all unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants five and older had been properly restrained,” Darrell Lingk, the Colorado Department on Transportation’s safety director, said in a statement. “Increased enforcement periods like the May Mobilization effort serve as a strong reminder to motorists that you should always buckle up, no matter where you are or how far you’re traveling.”
The updated statistics were released Tuesday.
During the same campaign last year, just over 8,000 people were cited for seatbelt offenses.
CDOT says motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for Coloradans.
The next seat belt enforcement period will focus on driving at night and occur from July 20 to 26, CDOT says.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or
