DENVER — There are so many things that are great about Colorado. Seatbelt usage is not one of them.
Eighty-eight percent of Colorado drivers buckle up behind the wheel, according to Colorado State Patrol (CSP), but the national average is 92%.
CSP reports that teenage drivers have the lowest compliance percentage of any group. So, the agency is reigniting its "Buckle Like a Boss" campaign on social media to try to grab the attention of young drivers and get them to buckle up.
Sgt. Patrick Rice has advice for parents about talking to their young drivers.
"Look, Mom and Dad, it's your driver's license, not theirs. You can take that thing away from them as quickly as they got it. You have control over those keys. Make sure if they're living in your house, they're following the law and not just because it's the law but because it's going to keep them safe. You want your baby boy and baby girl coming home at the end of the day," said Rice.
The five counties with the highest seatbelt usage rates are Eagle County (97.12%), Douglas County (96.9%), Grand County (96.51%), Fremont County (95.75%) and Park County (95.18%). The lowest usage rate is Jefferson County (77%).
CSP reports that wearing a seatbelt reduces your risk of injury in a crash by half and your risk of death by 65%.
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