If you’re thinking about driving, the Colorado Department of Transportation wants you to think about seat belt safety — and hearses.

To hammer home that message, CDOT is sponsoring a hearse parade on a route around popular Denver neighborhoods and landmarks in what the department says will “serve as a haunting display of what could be a person’s final journey if they fail to prioritize seat belt usage.”

The convoy of four hearses, wrapped with seat belt safety messages will leave CDOT headquarters at 2829 W. Howard Pl. after a press conference on Friday, June 16 at 1 p.m.

The demonstration coincides with CDOT’s annual study of seat belt use in the state, which will include an estimated 700 observation sites and 25 counties.

CDOT said in 2022, there were 236 unbuckled fatalities across Colorado. Results from last year’s seat belt survey showed that Colorado’s seat belt use rate is 87%, below the national average of 92%.

Proper seat belt usage significantly reduces the risk of injury or death in a crash. Without a fastened seat belt, vehicle occupants can be thrown from a vehicle and killed.

The Click It or Ticket campaign encourages people to buckle up to avoid a citation and get home safely to their loved ones.