Drivers lose licences after AI road safety cameras detect passengers, children committing traffic offences

Drivers are being pinged, fined and losing their licence after AI road safety cameras detect passengers and children committing traffic offences.

AI road safety cameras were installed in multiple locations across the Perth and along Western Australian regional roads, with drivers given an eight month warning period before fines were enforced in October last year.

The cameras have detected abhorrent driver behaviour with people caught drinking and using drugs, mobile phones and laptops behind the wheel, not wearing seatbelts and speeding.

But since the fines were enforced a number of motorists have questioned whether their infringements are fair.

Perth mum Lisa was fined $550 and lost eight demerit points after her daughter adjusted her seatbelt.

The offence was picked up by an AI road safety camera resulting in the single mum losing two-thirds of her demerit points.

Lisa told ABC Perth she was driving back from Dunsborough, about 250km south of Perth, and had no idea her neurodivergent daughter had moved her seatbelt under her arm.

“As usual, I secured my daughter’s seatbelt correctly before we left home, as I always do, safety is always been a big priority for me and my family,” she said.

“(I have) younger ones too, and always make sure they are all buckled in, but I think we’ve come up with a bit of a problem.

“If a child adjusts their seatbelt while you’re driving on a busy freeway, which was our case, what was I supposed to do? I’m unable to slam on the brakes or swerve across lanes to fix it immediately.”

Lisa said the law did not distinguish between a parent who failed to restrain a child and a parent who properly restrained a child who then moved mid journey.

“I understand that seatbelt laws are essential, and children should absolutely be properly restrained, this isn’t about removing accountability,” she said.

“It’s about fairness and nuance, and the law just doesn’t reflect that gap between what the parents intention is and what a child may do mid journey.”

Another mother Janine had a similar situation and lost 16 demerit points and was fined more than $1000 when cameras detected her daughter with a seatbelt under her arm twice in two days.

“I’ve gone from a zero demerit point to losing my license, and I’m the only one working in the family at the moment, so now we have to down the path of a good behaviour bond, I’m in fear of doing anything wrong,” she said.

Another driver Tom is also at risk of losing his licence after he was issued seven fines for the same offence when a camera detected him multiples times in one day.

“You may not have sympathy for that, but the thing that I think is unfair about that is, if you’ve been picked up by a cop the first time you might have said, obviously, I have an issue here,” he told ABC Perth.

“I’ve obviously got a habit that I’ve got into and I’ll fix it. I’ll pay the fine this time and remedy it.

“Had I been aware of it the first time, then I would have changed it.”

The Department of Transport has been contacted for comment, but NewsWire understands seatbelt infringements have surged since fines linked to the technology came into force.

A State Government spokesman said the safety cameras were about changing behaviour and holding dangerous drivers to account on Western Australian roads to save lives.

“Any drivers who have received an infringement may request a free review of their infringement, but the law is clear and the responsibility remains with the driver to ensure passengers are wearing their seatbelt correctly.

“The cameras only pick up the front seat of the car and it is recommended that children and other vulnerable passengers sit in the back seat, where it is safer.

“If multiple offences are captured before the first infringement arrives in the mail, the subsequent infringements can be waived and this process is happening now,” a spokesman said.