Buckle up properly or cop it – that's the simple fact now that mobile detection cameras can detect if a driver or passenger isn't wearing their seatbelt; or, if you're not wearing it correctly, as is more often the case. The new seatbelt enforcement approach came into effect in NSW on July 1, 2024, to help curb road fatalities. Within just a few weeks, the new detection cameras have caught way more offenders than anticipated – in a 21-day period, more than 11,400 penalties were issued, with about three-quarters of the fines for "incorrect" as opposed to zero seatbelt use.
The level of non-compliance is 2.5 times higher than expected. In fact, the number of seatbelt offences detected in the three-week period alone is higher than that by NSW Police in all of 2023.
John Graham, NSW Minister for Roads, said they knew there was a problem with seatbelt compliance, but the reality is worse than expected. "I want to send the strongest message possible today that if you don’t do it to save yourself a $410 fine and three demerit points, do it for the safety of your loved ones by buckling up every time, and make sure everyone in the car does too.”
The cameras have already checked over 8.3 million vehicles, revealing dangerous behaviour, such as unrestrained children and babies in the front seat.
Minister for Regional Roads, Jenny Aitchison, emphasised, “Whether you’re in the bush or a big city, on a quiet country road or a major motorway, there is never any excuse not to put on a seatbelt. Many of us grew up learning the rhyme ‘Click-clack, front and back’... I urge everyone to wear their seatbelts properly because we know from tests conducted by the Centre for Road Safety that the impact of wearing a seatbelt under your arm in a crash at 60km/h can cause injuries to the liver, spleen or abdomen which could prove fatal.”
Every dollar raised by seatbelt cameras will be reinvested into road safety initiatives. To avoid being a statistic, buckle up.
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