NSW Government to crack down on seatbelt noncompliance from now

Mobile phone detection cameras are now being used to detect whether drivers and passengers are using their seatbelts on NSW roads.

There will not be a grace period for those detected improperly wearing, or not wearing, their seatbelts when the new camera capabilities are switched on from July 1.

Seatbelts have been mandatory by law in NSW for more than 50 years, however 15 per cent of deaths on NSW roads every year involved seatbelt noncompliance.

Last year, 36 people died in crashes where seatbelt non-usage was reported, and 150 people died while not wearing seatbelts between 2019 and 2023.

“Seatbelts save lives, it’s as simple as that,” Minister for Roads John Graham said.

“Wearing a seatbelt doubles a person’s chance of survival in a car crash, and the NSW Government is doing everything we can to make sure the simplest safety feature in a car is being used by everyone.

“It has been a legal requirement to wear a seatbelt in NSW since 1971 and it is frankly disturbing that a small minority of people are still not heeding the message. If camera enforcement can convince those people to buckle up we can reduce the 15 per cent of deaths that involve a belt not being worn.

“Camera enforcement will be a significant step to reducing needless trauma on the roads that comes at the cost of families, loved ones and the first responders who routinely deal with unimaginable tragedy.”

‘Has to change’

An unreasonable number of people still do not use their seatbelt properly despite “five decades of enforcement and public awareness campaigns”, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said.

“This has to change and we hope camera enforcement can be the catalyst,” Aitchison said.

“In the last five years, about 85 per cent of the deaths and 76 per cent of the serious injuries that occurred in crashes where someone wasn’t wearing a seatbelt happened in country NSW.

“Driving in the country brings with it different challenges to city driving — longer distances are often covered on higher speed roads and we know that although country residents make up about a third of the NSW population they sadly make up around two thirds of deaths on NSW roads.

“The start of enforcement of seatbelt non-compliance by our mobile phone detection camera program will also reach regional roads — nobody is above the law, and we want to see every single person wear a seatbelt and wear it correctly every single trip.

“We cannot overestimate how important wearing a seatbelt is to saving your life if the worst happens and you’re in a crash.”