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2,116 seat belt tickets issued in rural campaign

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Monday, April 23, 2012 10:24 PM

DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Department of Transportation says a campaign to enforce seat belt laws in rural areas resulted in 2,116 seat belt citations from April 1-8.

The citations included 98 violations for drivers with children under age 16 who weren’t restrained.

Colorado State Patrol Chief James Wolfinbarger says the goal was to encourage people to buckle up. He says 187 people were killed in crashes on rural roadways last year representing 60 percent of the state’s total fatalities. He says 58 percent of those killed in rural areas were not wearing a seat belt, compared with 34 percent in urban areas.

Officials say the seat belt campaign also turned up 33 drug arrests, 19 fugitive arrests, 18 suspected cases of driving under the influence, and the recovery of one stolen vehicle.

Locally, there were six citations issued in Montezuma County and Cortez Police issued five citations.

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