CDOT premieres Spanish-Language TV PSA.

Determined to reduce the growing number of Hispanics who die in car crashes each year, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) unveiled its first-ever Spanish-language seat belt and child passenger safety television public service announcement (PSA).

“Safety is a top priority for CDOT and this PSA continues our efforts to reach Hispanics in Colorado with culturally- and linguistically-relevant safety messaging,” said Stacey Stegman, CDOT Public Relations Director. “In fact, 23% of all unbuckled crash victims in Colorado, in 2007, were Latinos. Convincing Colorado Hispanics to increase their use of safety belts and proper child passenger safety seats will help reverse this trend.”

Since launching the state’s first Spanish-language campaign in 2006, CDOT has worked closely with community organizations like Clínica Tepeyac and Servicios de la Raza to guide outreach to the state’s Hispanic population.

According to Gina Espinosa-Salcedo, Deputy Regional Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for Hispanics between 1 – 44 years of age. Seat belts save lives, and they are the best defense against injuries and fatalities, according to studies conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For this reason, our goal is to get more drivers and passengers to always buckle up ‘every trip, every time’ to reduce highway fatalities and injuries on our roadways. A seat belt can mean the difference between life and death.”

The PSA, created and produced by local advertising agency Hispanidad, focuses on the great effort that many Latinos put forth to care for what matters most and a reminder that taking care of your family starts with proper use of passenger restraints in your car or truck.