CDOT unveils ‘Ejection Exhibits’ showing deadly consequences of not buckling up

Photo courtesy Colorado Department of Transportation
Exhibits to spark the conversation of wearing seat belts are on display in Pueblo County, which has the lowest seat belt use in the state. Using crash test dummies, the “Ejection Exhibits” simulate, but clearly show, the deadly consequences that can happen when you don’t wear your seat belt.[/caption]

By Sam Cole

Special to The SUN

You’re 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle if you’re not buckled up.

With this statistic in mind, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has developed three eye-catching exhibits to spark the seat belt conversation in Pueblo County, which has the lowest seat belt use in the state. Using crash test dummies, the “Ejection Exhibits” simulate, but clearly show, the deadly consequences that can happen when you don’t wear your seat belt.

“Not taking the few seconds to put on a seat belt can have disastrous results, including ejection through the windshield, which is an often-deadly consequence for unrestrained occupants,” said Carol Gould, highway safety manager for CDOT. In the last two years, 18 (60 percent) of the 30 passenger vehicle fatalities in Pueblo County occurred when the occupants weren’t buckled up

The seat belt use rate in Pueblo County is the lowest in the state. At 63 percent, it is almost 20 percent lower than the state average of 82 percent.

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