NEWS RELEASE
COLORADO STATE PATROL
*************************
As temperatures warm, schools let out and road trips begin, the Colorado State Patrol urges drivers across Colorado to make one of the easiest and most important choices of all: take charge of your safety while traveling in a vehicle by using a seat belt.
The “Buckle Like a Boss” campaign launches May 1 and reminds drivers and passengers that buckling up is a “no-brainer” and a “boss move” if they want to stay safe and stay alive.
With heavy traffic, construction zones, mountain passes, high-traffic rural roads and all kinds of weather, driving in Colorado is not a passive activity.
In 2023, 81% of occupants who survived fatal crashes in Colorado were wearing a seat belt. By comparison, only 19% of unbuckled occupants survived.
Despite the proven benefit of reducing the risk of serious injury by 50% or death in a crash by 65% (NHTSA), Colorado’s seat belt usage rate is 88% – well below the national use average of 92%.
“While you can’t always control the speed or attention level of the drivers around you, Coloradoans can take control of their safety - just boss up and buckle up,” said Colonel Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol.
“Every ride, no matter how short or long, should start with a seat belt click. Make it a non-negotiable part of getting into the car for your friends and family.”
We often don’t celebrate those who are doing things well. So, the Colorado State Patrol wants to give a shout-out to those folks who are leading the way in seatbelt usage.
The Five Counties with the Highest Usage Rates in 2023:
- Arapahoe County (98.16%)
- Garfield County (97.38%)
- Douglas County (96.82%)
- Grand County (96.73%)
- Park County (95.82%)
For more information about the Colorado State Patrol’s seatbelt campaign, visit https://csp.colorado.gov.
*************************
