An estimated 46 percent of local drivers and passengers buckle up.

That was the findings of a rescent survey regarding seatbelt usage conducted here last month.

Earlier this year, the Southern Colorado Regional Emergency Trauma and Advisory Council received a $50,000 grant from C-DOT in an effort to increase seat belt use in its five-county region.

Those counties are Custer, Fremont, Pueblo, Huerfano and Las Animas.

The purpose of the study is to increase seat belt usage through education and community collaboration.

The first step was to identify a baseline seat belt usage rate. Drive Smart Colorado, a nonprofit organization in Colorado Springs, was contracted to assist SCRETAC with collecting the initial data. Locally, the Custer County Medical Center and sheriff’s office assisted.

To gather the data, last month volunteers were at four locations around Custer County to monitor the cars passing by during one day.

The volunteers then tallied the number of drivers and passengers using seat belts.

A total of 656 cars were observed in Custer County.

Of the total, 310 drivers or 47 percent used seat belts, while 303 drivers did not. Observers were not sure regarding 43 drivers.

A total of 222 passengers were observed inside vehicles with 94 or 42 percent using seatbelts and 108 not wearing a seat belt. The number of passengers observers were not sure about was 20.

When combining drivers and passengers for a total of 878 occupants, 404 or 46 percent were restrained in a seat belt, which means some 54 percent were not restrained.

In Huerfano County the baseline buckle up rate was 74 percent, in Pueblo County the seat belt usage rate was 78 percent, and in Fremont and Las Animas counties the restrained rate was 68 percent each.

Various events, projects and activities are now in the works within the five counties to boost seat belt usage.

In Custer County, an initial meeting will be held with key players on Jan. 10 at the clinic to begin planning those events and activities.

– Nora Drenner