Motorists Urged To ”Click It Or Ticket”

Law enforcement, medical officials and at least one car crash victim gathered Tuesday morning at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center to remind residents to buckle their seat belts every time they drive or ride in a vehicle.

Cheyenne Police Chief Brian Kozak said seat belts are the only real defense against what he called  "D drivers"--drunk, drugged, distracted or dumb. "If one of these drivers gets you in their sights, you can't stop them from hitting you" Kozak said. "But you can buckle up to protect yourself from the impact".

Laramie County Sheriff Danny Glick called results of a study that showed only 73 percent of Laramie County motorists regularly use seat belts "abhorrent". Glick said local parents will often make sure their children are properly restrained, then not buckle up themselves.

David Bois of Laramie, who was left paralyzed by a 2002 crash in which he was not buckled up, told the gathering not to make the mistake he did. He added he can't change what happened to him, but others can avoid the same fate by wearing their seat belts.