SYDNEY, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The number of fines issued to drivers for seatbelt infringements in Australia's most populous state increased by over 2,000 percent in 2024-25, according to a new report.
The report published on Tuesday by insurance and roadside assistance provider NRMA found that seatbelt infringements in New South Wales (NSW) increased by 2,357 percent year-on-year to 132,755 fines in 2024-25.
It attributed the sharp rise to the introduction of camera detection technology, which detected 126,728 infringements.
Of the infringement fines detected by cameras, 88 percent were for drivers or passengers wearing seatbelts incorrectly and 12 percent were issued for not wearing a seatbelt at all.
A corresponding survey conducted by NRMA found that 16 percent of respondents indicated they do not always wear their seatbelt correctly and 33 percent said they would still drive if a passenger older than 16 wasn't correctly wearing a seatbelt.
It found that 40 percent of respondents incorrectly believed that both the driver and passenger would be fined if a passenger was found not wearing a seatbelt correctly.
Drivers in NSW face a fine of 423 Australian dollars (301 U.S. dollars) if they or a passenger is not wearing a seatbelt correctly.
The report called for NSW to introduce laws allowing drivers to nominate adult passengers to be fined instead for camera-detected seatbelt offenses. ■