The Colorado Department of Transportation recently partnered with Colorado State Patrol and local law enforcement agencies to successfully complete statewide Click It or Ticket heightened seatbelt patrols.

The enforcement period ran from July 20 until July 26 and focused on nighttime hours — a time when there is reduced visibility and often times more impaired drivers on the roadways.

Of the 1,299 drivers who received seat belt citations, 61 were cited for not having children in the car buckled up in car seats, booster seats or seat belts.

“Children rely on adults to ensure they are buckled up every trip every time,” CDOT spokesperson Sam Cole said in a statement. “Not buckling children into a restraint can have tragic consequences, even for the best of drivers.” 

CDOT also reminds drivers that all passengers should wear seatbelts.

In 2013, roughly 59 percent of the nationwide passenger vehicle fatalities that occurred at night weren’t wearing their seat belts, according to CDOT figures.

The minimum citation amount for a seat belt violation is $65, in addition to any other fines for other driving violations. The minimum fine for having an unrestrained child is $82.

In 2013, seat belts saved an estimated 12,584 lives nationwide. An additional 2,800 lives could have been saved if all unrestrained passenger vehicle occupants five and older involved in fatal crashes had been properly restrained.

Paper welcomes reader photo submissions

The Craig Daily Press welcomes photo submissions from community members. If you have cool photos you took while on vacation, camping or hunting, or even photos of your child’s birthday party, submit them to editor@CraigDailyPress.com.

Photos must be at least one megabyte in size and clear, meaning blurry photos should not be submitted. Include the name of those in the photo, along with the date and place it was taken. The newspaper prefers recent and timely photos.

Free park entrance offered to active-duty, veterans

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is offering free park entrance to active-duty military and veterans during the month of August as a result of House Bill 15-1045, signed into law May 27.

“We invite Colorado’s military community to enjoy all of the beauty and recreational opportunities Colorado state parks have to offer,” CPW Parks and Recreation assistant director, Margaret Taylor said in a statement.

CPW encourages eligible individuals to get their pass in advance at any CPW office or state park to avoid delays at the gate on a planned recreation day.

Pest management takes place across county

Moffat County will conduct mosquito larva control daily through October.

Due to the unusually high amount of rain this year, standing water is everywhere. This additional mosquito habitat makes it impractical to aerial spray before the end of June.

Aerial spraying for broad area adult mosquitoes took place June 30 through July 3 in the city of Craig and surrounding county areas.

Spraying times will be on a weather-permitting basis, early morning or early evening.

County crews treat the golf course from 9 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday. Loudy-Simpson Park is treated at the conclusion of each treatment schedule. Adult and larva work is conducted at Shadow Mountain and Maybell on an as-needed basis.

While the department tries to treat Loudy-Simpson Park and the golf course during times when people aren’t present, if you do notice the department spraying in the area, avoid coming into contact with the spray.

Special events and circumstances occasionally alter schedules.