Earlier this month, a fatal rollover accident in Pueblo killed an 18-year-old driver and injured two passengers. The accident occurred on Interstate 25 near the Love’s Travel Stop. According to police reports, the driver lost control of his sedan and rolled his car twice. Sadly, he was ejected from the vehicle and died on the scene of the accident. The other passengers in this accident sustained injuries. None of the people were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash and alcohol and speed are considered to be contributing factors.
According to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death in people aged 1-54 in the United States. While you can’t always prevent an accident, you can take measures to protect yourself should an accident occur. And according to safety experts, seat belt use is one of the single best ways to prevent serious and fatal injuries.
In 2015, 22,441 people were killed in car accidents and more than half of teens and adults who died in car accidents were not wearing their seat belts. Who isn’t wearing their seat belts? Young adults ages 18-24 were the least likely age group to routinely wear their seat belts. In addition, men are less likely to wear their seat belts than women.
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What about in Colorado?
State laws do matter. Seat belt use is lower in states with secondary enforcement of seat belt laws or in states that have no seat belt laws in place. In states that have primary enforcement of the seat belt laws, 92% of drivers and passengers buckle up when heading out. In the state of Colorado, seat belt laws are secondary. As a result, only 81% of all drivers and passengers wear seat belts. This is well below the national average.
But safety campaigns have helped this number climb over the years. Click it or Ticket is a nationwide campaign that started in Colorado in 2002. Since it first began, seat belt use in Colorado has increased from 72% to 81%. CDOT and local law enforcement agencies now conduct high-visibility seat belt enforcement waves numerous times a year.
Contact Our Skilled Pueblo Car Accident Lawyers
If you or someone you love has been injured in a car accident in Pueblo or anywhere in the state of Colorado, it is important that you contact an experienced Pueblo car accident attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney will need to build a case quickly and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf, so you can obtain the money you need. Contact Pueblo attorney Smith & Smith, today for a FREE CONSULTATION – (719) 544-0062.
