Thursday, January 10, 2008

Click It or Ticket starts Monday

11 Counties Buckle Down on Those Not Buckled Up Jan. 14-20

DENVER — Law enforcement agencies in Colorado's 11 most populated counties will be working overtime starting Monday, Jan. 14 through Jan. 20 to enforce Colorado seat belt laws, announced the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).  The Click It or Ticket enforcement mobilization is aimed at saving more lives by buckling down on all Colorado motorists not buckled up, especially teenagers.  

In 2006 in Colorado, 66 teen drivers and passengers, ages 16 to 20, were killed in motor vehicle crashes and nearly three-fourths of those (45) teens were not buckled up.  This is higher than the national percentage of unrestrained teens killed in motor vehicle crashes.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 58% (2,813) of teen passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2006 (4,842), ages 16 to 20, were unrestrained at the time of the fatal crash.Refinance your car loan

"This special seat belt enforcement is focused on saving lives and protecting the future of Colorado," said Colonel Mark Trostel, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol.  "It's not only sad, but so very tragic to see so many young people killed every year when their deaths could have been avoided by wearing a seat belt.  It's our hope that young people will realize that the smart decision is to buckle up.  All adults need to be role models by setting the example by buckling up on every trip.  Buckle up, it's the law."

The Colorado State Patrol and 40 law enforcement agencies in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo and Weld counties will participate in the enforcement effort.  The enforcement mobilization is paid for by a special grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to fund four Click It or Ticket enforcement waves and educational outreach to teenagers. 

The latest enforcement wave occurred Oct. 15-21, 2007 and netted 2,559 seat belt citations.  Additional mobilizations will occur in March and May.

Throughout the Click It or Ticket campaign, 11 high schools will once again participate in a pledge drive to gather signatures from their peers to promise to buckle up every time.  These 11 high schools conducted a pledge drive last October and succeeded in gathering more than 3,000 pledges from fellow students.  During January, the high schools will continue to solicit  100% participation from their student bodies, and also challenge another high school to start the seat belt pledge drive.  Participating high schools include:

 
    1. Adams City High School – Commerce City
    2. Boulder High School - Boulder
    3. Abraham Lincoln High School -- Denver
    4. Columbine High School - Littleton
    5. Alameda High School -- Lakewood
    6. Central High School - Pueblo
    7. Fossil Ridge High School – Fort Collins
    8. Fruita Monument High School - Fruita
    9. Roosevelt High School -- Johnstown
    10. Englewood High School - Englewood
    11. Manitou Springs High School -- Manitou Springs

"These students have taken the initiative that will undoubtedly save lives because of their commitment to wearing a seat belt every time they're in a vehicle," said Pamela Hutton, CDOT Governor's Representative for Highway Safety.  "Unfortunately, too many Colorado motorists need a tough reminder with enforcement.  We want to save more lives by making sure both teens and adults understand that wearing a seat belt costs you nothing, but not wearing one could cost a ticket, or worse – their life."