AURORA | Aurora police issued more citations to drivers without a seat belt during a recent crackdown than any other Colorado police department, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.
During the crackdown, which ran from May 20 to June 2, Aurora police cited 1,363 drivers for failing to wear a seat belt, that’s 14 percent of all seat-belt citations issued statewide during the crackdown.
“Using seat belts continues to be the single most effective thing you can do to prevent serious injury or death in a crash,” Col. Scott Hernandez, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, said in a statement announcing the results. “It takes just two seconds to protect yourself and your loved ones by requiring that everyone in your vehicle buckle up. Most importantly, be responsible and make sure all children are properly restrained in the appropriate child safety seat.”
In addition to the seat-belt citations, police statewide made 67 fugitive, 33 drug and 106 DUI arrests during the crackdown. They also cited 635 drivers who had a suspended license or no driver’s license.
CDOT said 13 Colorado drivers and passengers died in crashes during the enforcement period, and eight of them were not wearing seat belts.
Other seat-belt citation numbers included: Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office with 553, Lakewood Police Department with 511, Adams County Sheriff’s Office with 472, Colorado State Patrol Troop 4C in Glenwood Springs with 399, Colorado State Patrol Troop 4A in Fruita with 398 and Loveland Police Department with 322.