Seatbelt Detection Cameras Begin Operation Soon in NSW

Introduced as a tool to save lives, cameras used to detect drivers not wearing seatbelts in Australia have been controversial owing to problems with accuracy.

Traffic is seen at a standstill on the M5 motorway westbound, in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 5, 2020. Jenny Evans/Getty Images

From the start of July, drivers in New South Wales (NSW) will cop hefty fines if seatbelt detection cameras prove they are not buckled up, but critics say its use in other states has shown the technology is intrusive and inaccurate.

Following similar implementations in Queensland and Victoria and after a period of system testing, NSW drivers will be pinged with a fine of $387 (US$257) and three demerit points if proven to be not wearing a seatbelt from July 1.

As an extra deterrent, the offence will accrue double demerit points if committed during a holiday period when traffic enforcement is heightened.

The new laws are part of the NSW government’s Road Safety Action Plan, an ambitious project that aims to halve the number of deaths from vehicle accidents and reduce by 30 percent the number of serious injuries on NSW roads by 2030.

In a post on the NSW transport website, the agency said that despite the wearing of seatbelts being compulsory for more than 50 years “sadly we continue to see lives being lost and people being seriously injured from not wearing a seatbelt or not wearing it properly.”

Key Features Of The Technology

AI-powered, high-resolution cameras capture detailed images of vehicle interiors, focusing on the driver and passenger seats. Infrared technology is used to allow for clear images at night.

Advanced algorithms analyse the captured images to identify if seatbelts are being worn. These algorithms are trained on large datasets to improve accuracy.

The cameras also integrate with automatic number plate technology to aid with evidence collection and prosecution.

Controversies

Despite the use of the technology, anecdotes over the accuracy of images used to issue fines have circulated widely on social media.

In a recent case in Queensland, a television personality went viral after he was hit with a fine in excess of $1,000 after his passenger was caught by cameras not wearing her seatbelt “properly adjusted,” according to the Queensland Revenue Office which issued the fine.

Low-quality photos were produced as evidence of the infraction and the defendant eventually had the fine wiped after submitting a video, taken by his passenger of herself wearing the seatbelt correctly.

Queensland was again in the spotlight in September 2023, when its enforcement cameras were recalled for remedial testing after the state admitted over 1,800 alleged offences for cell phone use and not wearing a seatbelt were created via a glitch in the technology.

Queensland’s Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey was forced to issue an apology.

“Simply put—this should never have happened. I am sorry to every person impacted by this. My department is receiving urgent legal advice on the swift re-issuance of incorrectly suspended licences,” he said.

NSW Police was approached for comment.