She is among tens of thousands of people in New South Wales who have been fined since July 2024, when the state government significantly expanded its ability to peer into cars to detect if someone was wearing their seatbelt correctly.
In 2024-25, the first year of the new technology being rolled out, revenue raised via seatbelt fines rose by 1,400% – to almost $59m from 132,698 penalties.
In the previous financial year, before the cameras were active, $3.7m was raised from 9,529 penalties.
The government says the money raised from the fines – which are more than $400 each and come with three demerit points – is invested back into road safety.
Out of the 140m cars scanned in 2024-25, most people were found to be doing the right thing. Only 0.09% of drivers or passengers were found to have committed a seatbelt offence.
The vast majority – 88% – of that small portion of offenders were wearing their seatbelts, but incorrectly.
However, people appear to be learning their lesson, with offences down 60% in July 2025 compared with July 2024, when the cameras were first introduced.
The suspect images of drivers and passengers are flagged by artificial intelligence, and the photos are then reviewed by Revenue NSW staff before any fine is issued.
Isabel requested a review of her three fines, given the camera had snapped her again before she had a chance to receive her first fine and learn her lesson. She was forgiven the last two notices.
“I went to Supercheap Auto and I got my bejewelled seatbelt cover, so I can wear it properly and it doesn’t irritate my neck,” she said. “I never understood why people had seatbelt covers, but now I do. So, lesson learned.”
Camilla Pandolfini, the chief executive of the Redfern Legal Centre, said she had concerns about “any kind of automation around issuing fines and picking up offences”.
“People can have perfectly legitimate explanations, but disadvantaged people in particular might not think to challenge the fine or access legal assistance,” she said.
The NSW roads minister, Jenny Aitchison, said the seatbelt cameras were introduced to encourage people to buckle up.
“Well over 99% of motorists [were] found to be doing the right thing,” she said on Friday.
“Police have an incredibly important role to play in keeping NSW roads safe, however, they cannot physically check more than 100m vehicles for seatbelt offences in one year.
“Our cameras check every vehicle that passes under them, effectively checking every vehicle on NSW roads about 20 times a year.
“Whenever enforcement is increased, such as it has been with the rollout of our camera program, it is to be expected that more penalties will be issued initially and then decrease over time as people get the message. Our data shows that this is happening.”
Read the full article at The Guardian published September 13, 2025
