As Coloradoans take the vacation with family and friends, CDOT reminds drivers and passengers of the importance of using seat belts. According to a recent CDOT study, the use of seat belts across the state has remained basically unchanged compared to 2020, but the use of pickup trucks has increased significantly, from 78.3% to 88.1%.

In addition, in the past 10 years, the use of seat belts by pickup truck occupants has increased by 23%, from 71.7% to 88.1%, while the overall utilization rate of all models has only increased by 7%, from 80.7% to 86.6%.

The study included observations of 770 locations in 31 counties across the state. A total of 119,842 vehicles were observed, including cars, vans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pickup trucks. Overall, only 86.6% of drivers and front-seat passengers were detained. The same survey last year found that 86.3% of people use seat belts. This is far below the national average of 90.3%. Colorado still has the lowest seat belt usage rate for commercial vehicles, at 76.2%.

Darrell Lingk, Director of CDOT’s Office of Transportation Safety, said: “Surviving this year’s holiday driving-and welcoming the new year-is as easy as wearing a seat belt." "If you are ejected from a car in a car accident. It is very likely that you will not be able to survive. Wearing a seat belt is the best way to defend against accidental road hazards, and it is also the most effective way to survive a collision."

The counties with the highest seat belt usage rates in Colorado are mostly cities. These include Arapahoe (95.3%), Denver (95%) and Parker (93.4%) counties. The counties with the lowest seat belt usage rates are mostly rural. These include the Weld (71.6%), Cheyenne (71.5%) and Pueblo (66.2%) counties.

The CDOT study also evaluated seat belt usage compared to speed. When the driver is driving in an area with a higher speed limit, the seat belt usage rate is the highest. What is worrying is that as drivers drive in low-speed areas, the use of seat belts decreases.

After wearing your seat belt, your risk of fatal injury will be reduced by 45%. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this risk is reduced by 60% for passenger car occupants.

The complete CDOT study can be found on codot.gov.

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