First Click It or Ticket enforcement period of the year begins Monday

Statewide — From April 6 through April 12, the Colorado Department of Transportation will support the Colorado State Patrol and 26 local law enforcement agencies throughout the state for the first seat belt enforcement period of 2026. During this time, drivers can expect increased law enforcement patrols on the roads, with officers issuing citations to unbuckled drivers as part of the state’s ongoing effort to reduce roadway fatalities. Drivers with unbuckled passengers, including children, can also be ticketed.

Last year 1,108 drivers received seat belt citations during the same enforcement period, and more than 5,000 tickets were issued throughout all three Click It or Ticket enforcements. According to recent research by CDOT, 90.7% people in the state are buckling up — the highest ever recorded. This rate is a 2.5% improvement from Colorado’s 2024 seat belt usage rate of 88.2%. However, it is still below the national average of 91.2% as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association.

“Seat belts are the most effective life-saving tool we have in a vehicle,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “While over 90% of Coloradans already make the right choice to wear a seat belt, our goal is 100%. So far in 2026, 55% of the fatal crashes troopers have responded to have included a driver or passenger not wearing their seat belt. It's up to all of us to insist everyone in the vehicle buckle up.”

Last year, Colorado’s seat belt law was expanded. The new law raised the age for primary seat belt requirements from 16 to 18. Violating this law is a “primary offense,” meaning enforcement officers can pull over drivers if they observe an unrestrained minor in the vehicle. More information about the law updates can be found on the Colorado Child Passenger Safety Law webpage.

“Even though we’re seeing positive trends in seat belt and restraint usage for Colorado motorists, there’s still work to do,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “The updates to the law have helped protect teenagers in cars, whether they’re driving or riding as passengers. While teenager fatalities without seat belts are falling, this age group still has the lowest use rate.”

In 2025, of the 48 teens who died in passenger vehicle crashes, 65% were unrestrained. Nationally, teens are among the highest risk for motor vehicle crashes, and among the least likely to buckle up. To encourage more Colorado teens to buckle up, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office and Sonic Drive-In are handing out free Sonic Slush coupons to buckled-up teen drivers and their passengers throughout the summer.

“Whether you’re a new driver or an experienced one, take the time to buckle up before hitting the road,” said Arapahoe Sheriff's Office Deputy Dennis Dempsey. “We’re hoping to reward students we see buckling up and ultimately get all young drivers to wear their seat belts. Buckling up is a two-second decision to protect your life.”

Colorado law requires the driver and every front seat passenger of a motor vehicle and the driver and every passenger in an autocycle equipped with a safety belt system to wear a seat belt whenever the vehicle is in operation on a street or highway.

• Adults — Colorado has a secondary enforcement law for adult drivers and front-seat passengers. Drivers can be ticketed for violating the seat belt law if they are stopped for another traffic violation.
• Teens — Colorado’s Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) law requires all drivers under 18 and their passengers, regardless of their ages, to wear seat belts. This is a primary enforcement, meaning teens can be pulled over simply for not wearing a seat belt or having passengers without seat belts.
• Children — Colorado's Child Passenger Safety law is a primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child under the age of 18 in the vehicle.

Fines for not buckling up in Colorado start at $65, and parents or caregivers caught with an improperly restrained child can receive a minimum fine of $82. Caregivers can face additional charges if the law is not followed and the child is injured.

About Click It or Ticket

Click It or Ticket is a nationwide campaign from NHTSA. Since Click It or Ticket was introduced in Colorado in 2002, statewide seat belt use has increased from 72% to 88%. For more information about seat belt safety and enforcement citation numbers, visit SeatBeltsColorado.com.

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