DRIVERS and their passengers are reminded to buckle up or face the consequences, with mobile phone detection cameras now snapping those flouting the 50-year-old seatbelt law.
DRIVERS will now face fines up to $410 and at least three demerit points if they or their passenger are caught on camera not wearing their seatbelt or not wearing it correctly.
Part of a State Government initiative to help combat road fatalities, mobile phone detection cameras will now also be used to snap those not wearing or incorrectly wearing a seatbelt.
Data shows 150 people died while not wearing a seatbelt in the five years between 2019 and 2023. On average, 15 per cent of deaths on NSW roads every year still involve people not wearing a seatbelt.
Not wearing a seatbelt has been shown to double the risk of death if involved in a crash.
Minister for Roads, John Graham, said the world-first mobile phone detection cameras had great success in changing that behaviour and ”we expect seatbelt cameras to do the same”.
“To the vast majority of the 6.9 million drivers on NSW roads, it will seem unthinkable that some fellow drivers still do not make the simplest and safest decision when getting in a car – putting on a seatbelt,” he said.
“The fact is that five decades since it became law, there are people still dying as a direct consequence of not wearing a seatbelt.
“It is horrifying to think that 15 per cent of all deaths on the road in NSW are due to someone not buckling up.
“Seatbelt cameras will help us get the message through to these drivers.”