After four years of steadily increasing the number of adults who buckle up in Colorado, the 2005 statewide observational seat belt survey showed a slight decrease in seat belt use, announced the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).  In 2005, the adult seat belt use rate in Colorado is 79.2 percent, compared to 79.3 percent in 2004.         

 "These are disappointing findings," said Tom Norton, CDOT's Executive Director.  "Even more disturbing is the fact that the seat belt use rate for children decreased last year and barely improved this year.  While child safety seat use also decreased last year, it showed a better increase in this year's survey."        

Juvenile seat belt use (ages 5 to 15) is at 69.5 percent in Colorado, compared to 69.3 percent in 2004 and 72 percent in 2003.  Child safety seat use (from birth through age 4) is at 87 percent in Colorado, compared to 86.2 percent in 2004 and 88 percent in 2003.  The statewide observational survey is conducted for CDOT by Colorado State University's Institute of Transportation Management.        

"The survey clearly shows that children benefit when adults are buckled up," explained Norton.  "A primary enforcement adult seat belt law would increase the number of adults buckling up and help to increase the number of child passengers who are protected by seat belts and child safety seats."        

The statewide observational survey for children recorded drivers with seat belts as well as restraint use for young passengers.  When the driver of the vehicle is buckled up, juveniles are buckled up at a rate of 85.7 percent in the front and back seats.  Higher child safety seat use is also seen as an effect of drivers buckling up.  Drivers who buckled up used child safety seats for infants, toddlers and young children more than 90 percent of the time (91.9 percent).         

The statewide survey showed differences in seat belt use by regions.  The Front Range is highest with an estimated usage rate of 81.8 percent.   This compares to 77.2 percent in the Western Region and 68.3 percent in the Eastern Region of Colorado.       

The low usage rate in the Eastern Region is attributed to the finding that only half of the light truck drivers and passengers in the region use seat belts.         Drivers and front seat occupants vary in seat belt use by vehicle.  Drivers and passengers in SUV's have the highest seat belt use rate at 85.1 percent.  Vans are next at 82.9 percent and cars are at 81.1 percent.  Drivers and front seat passengers of trucks have the lowest seat belt usage rate with only two-thirds of them buckled up.        

 The survey concludes that Colorado may be reaching a ceiling in seat belt usage rates.  The state's stepped up educational and enforcement efforts in the Click It or Ticket campaign have improved seat belt usage rates by reaching relatively high usage rates in all vehicle types, except trucks.   In fact, Colorado has been well above the national average in seat belt usage rates by states with secondary laws.        

"We have a clear choice to make to improve safety for adults and children.  We can continue campaigns to enforce the current secondary law and educate the public about its benefits while hoping that we don't see usages rates for children, toddlers and infants decrease.  Or we can improve Colorado's seat belt law with a primary enforcement provision," said Norton.         

Colorado's 2005 Click It or Ticket campaign took place from May 23 through June 12.  During the three-week period, the Colorado State Patrol and 105 police and sheriff's departments worked 5,115 hours of overtime seat belt enforcement and issued 11,433 seat belt tickets, including tickets for violating Colorado's child passenger safety law.  Of the tickets written, 88 percent were citations and 12 percent were warnings.        

In addition to the seat belt tickets, officers issued the following tickets and made arrests: 12,282 - Speeding 2,114 - No Insurance 1,465 - Suspended/No License 1,193 - Lane Use 1,182 - Other Hazardous Violations 1,112 - Traffic Control Devices 804 - Other Violations 497 - DUI 448 - Careless Driving 349 - Other Arrests 341 - Fugitives 199 - Drugs 86 - Reckless Driving 47 - Stolen Vehicles 23 - Weapons        

For a detailed breakdown of tickets issued and arrests made by agencies, visit www.dot.state.co.us/trafficsafety/ and choose seat belt enforcement.  Reports of seat belts tickets, local surveys and other violations are available on the website.