Denver – The Colorado State Patrol and 40 law enforcement agencies are not fooling this week when they increase enforcement of the state’s seat belt laws – especially at night. The special nighttime Click It or Ticket mobilization begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1st and runs through 6 a.m. on April 7th. Law enforcement agencies in the following 11 counties are participating in the overtime enforcement: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pueblo and Weld.

The risk of being involved in a fatal crash is significantly greater at night than during the day, due in part to fewer people buckling up a night. Last year in Colorado, 182 drivers and passengers were killed in crashes between the hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. Of that number, 54% were not wearing seat belts, compared to 39% of victims not buckled up during the day.

"This isn’t about just writing tickets. We want to help everyone survive to see the sunrise," said Col. James Wolfinbarger, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. "We’re increasing traffic enforcement at night because we know that it’s a risky time for drivers and passengers. Seat belts save lives. If you’re stopped for a traffic violation and not buckled up, expect a seat belt ticket. It’s simple – Click it or ticket, day and night."

Men are at a very high risk of dying in a crash, especially at night. Last year in Colorado, 77% of the vehicle occupants killed at night were male. During the daytime, 59% of unbuckled fatalities were male. Young men ages 18 to 34 represent more than one-third of unbuckled victims overall and 58% of unbuckled victims at night.

"Young men in Colorado are at greatest risk and are needlessly dying in crashes," said Pamela Hutton, CDOT governor’s representative for highway safety. "We hope to drill home the message that seat belts save lives and money. Seat belt fines went up last year to $65 per violation. In this economy, we all have better things to spend our money on." 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. Click It or Ticket enforcement focuses on speeding and aggressive drivers. Drivers who are stopped for a traffic violation and are not using a seat belt will be ticketed.

Colorado's child-passenger safety law includes both primary and secondary enforcement. The infant seat, child safety seat and seat belt provisions of the law are primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child in the vehicle. The booster seat portion of the law is secondary enforcement. The child-passenger safety law clearly defines child safety seat and seat belt use from birth through age 15. The public can find more information about the law and assistance with using child safety seats and seat belts properly by visiting www.carseatscolorado.com

The Colorado State Patrol and other agencies have federal grants from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct the Click It or Ticket mobilization.