Lifelong habits begin early, so the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) urges parents to become familiar with Colorado’s child restraint and graduated driver’s licensing laws regarding seat belts.
“It is a primary offense for children under 18 to be without a seat belt or improperly restrained in a vehicle,” explained CSP Trooper Kent Trimbach, Colorado Child Passenger Safety Program Coordinator. “This means you can be pulled over without committing any other traffic infraction because the bottom line is kids are relying on you.”
In addition, teen drivers can also be pulled over if they or any of their passengers are seen without a seat belt. In 2024, CSP issued 976 seat belt citations to drivers aged 16-21.
“We can’t promise that you’ll never argue about seat belts as your child turns into a driver, but the odds are in your favor if your family consistently uses seat belts from day one,” stated Trimbach. “Make it a rule that the car doesn’t move until all belts are on.”
Every drive or ride should start with a click. If wearing a seat belt is all your child or young driver has ever known, you have increased your child’s chances of survival by 65 percent in the event of a crash.
Colorado’s seat belt laws for youth
Teens: Colorado’s graduated driver’s licensing law requires all drivers under 18 and their passengers, regardless of age, to be properly restrained. This is a primary enforcement, meaning teens can be pulled over simply for not wearing a seat belt or having passengers without seat belts.
Children: Colorado’s child passenger safety law is a primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child under the age of 18 in the vehicle.
Colorado’s child restraint law requires children 17 years old and younger riding in a vehicle to be properly restrained regardless of seating position. Following are child restraint statutory requirements by age and size of a child.
Colorado child restraint requirements
• Less than 2 years of age and weighing less than 40 pounds: Properly secured in a rear-facing child restraint system in the rear seat of the vehicle.
• Less than 1 year to 2 years, and weighing more than 40 pounds: Must be in the back seat if one is available, can be in a forward-facing child restraint system or rear-facing child restraint system.
• Two years and up to 4 years, and at least 20 pounds: Must be in the back seat if one is available, can be in a forward-facing child restraint system or rear-facing child restraint system.
• At least 4 years and over 40 pounds: Must be in the back seat if one is available, properly secured in a child restraint system, such as a booster seat, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Children up to 9 years: Must be in the back seat if one is available, properly secured in a child restraint system, such as a booster seat, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Children 9 to 18 years: Properly restrained in a safety belt or a child restraint.
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