CAMERAS IN NSW HAVE RAKED in $34 million dollars’ worth of fines for seatbelt offences in the past six months.
However, some motorists insist they have been unfairly penalised and are, in fact, innocent of the offence they have been charged with.
Seatbelt detection cameras went into action on July 1 last year, causing the number of drivers and passengers caught not wearing seatbelts or wearing them incorrectly, to skyrocket.
Revenue NSW figures show a 1427 (sic) percent increase in the number of seatbelt-related fines between July and December 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. More than 70,000 fines were issued, up from just 4600, worth a mere $1.8 million a year earlier.
Infringements are flagged by artificial intelligence before the photo is reviewed by Revenue NSW staff, but not everyone is convinced that all the fines are justified.
Some drivers point out that the photo actually shows that they are wearing a seatbelt. Revenue NSW has rejected claims, declaring that some photos show the seatbelt being worn under the arm, rather than over the shoulder. This is disputed, with one driver insisting the seatbelt was sitting between her shoulder and collarbone. She was fined $410 and hit with six demerit points due to it being a holiday period.
In another case, a driver’s passenger was hit for not wearing a seatbelt correctly. The driver insists they were both wearing seatbelts, but his claim was rejected.
In another case, a Sydney driver claims the seatbelt “may have slipped a fraction” down the shoulder of her passenger/fiancé. In a second photo, the shoulder strap of the seatbelt is partly obscured by the frame of the car, making it impossible to accurately discern where the belt actually sits.
The rules clearly state that seatbelts should be worn across the hips, with the sash across the chest and mid-shoulder.
But photos can be ambiguous. Because the case has to be proven beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law, electing to defend the case in court if the photo isn’t definitive is a viable (if inconvenient) option.
Transport for NSW isn’t backing down. Seatbelt offences detected by cameras and software go through several stages of human review by trained and authorised personnel before a fine is issued.
In 2024, 39 lives were lost by people involved in a crash and not wearing a seatbelt.