Preliminary data from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) indicates that Colorado’s seat belt usage rate has reached 90.7% in 2025, marking the highest level ever recorded in the state. This figure represents a 2.5% increase compared to the previous year’s rate of 88.2%. The findings are based on observations of over 106,000 vehicles at 744 locations across Colorado during a two-week period in June.
“This is extremely encouraging news,” said CDOT’s Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “We know that seat belts play vital and life-saving roles during crashes. When more than 90% of Coloradans choose to buckle up, they are choosing to keep themselves, their loved ones and their community safe. Let’s get that number to 100.”
Nationally, seat belt use was reported at 91.2% in 2024 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Over the past five years, Colorado has made progress toward matching this national average; since 2015, statewide usage has risen by 5.5 percentage points.
The survey found higher compliance among SUV drivers (93.4%) and van drivers (92.9%), while pick-up truck drivers had the lowest rate at 85.7%. The likelihood of wearing a seat belt also increased on roads with higher speed limits.
Regionally, Grand County led with a usage rate of 97.1%, followed by Douglas County at 95.7% and Garfield County at 94.3%. Pueblo County had the lowest observed rate at 71.6%, with Jefferson and Morgan counties also below average at 75.3% and 79%, respectively. Most counties saw an improvement in seat belt use in 2025 except for Pueblo County, which experienced a decrease of nearly eight percentage points.
A breakdown by population shows high rates in El Paso (91.76%), Denver (92.73%), Arapahoe (93.58%), Adams (92.13%), but much lower rates in Jefferson County (75.30%).
“Seat belt usage rates remain lower among Colorado’s rural counties and truck drivers year over year,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol.“In the year to come, we will continue to educate and remind these drivers about the importance of buckling up.”
According to NHTSA data, wearing a seat belt can reduce fatal injury risk by up to 45% for front-seat occupants in passenger vehicles and up to 60% for those in light trucks.
Colorado law requires all drivers and front-seat passengers in motor vehicles or autocycles equipped with safety belts to wear them when operating on public roads.
These results are based on data from counties representing approximately eighty-five percent of all traffic fatalities statewide; smaller counties with fewer deaths were not included.
