Thousands of West Australian drivers have been caught by new safety cameras flouting road rules by not wearing a seatbelt, not restraining children property, and using mobile devices including, in one case, a laptop.
More than 60,000 incidents have been detected by the cameras since January, the Road Safety Commission has revealed.
Images of WA drivers show some of the shocking behaviour caught since January. Credit: Road Safety Commission
Of those captured, 20,000 were not wearing seatbelts correctly, almost 6000 had no seatbelt on at all and 22,000 had their phone in their hands.
An additional 12,000 had their phones resting on their body – also a finable offence.
WA Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner said the images sent a clear message about the need to change cultural attitudes around road safety responsibility.
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“Quite frankly what we’re seeing has been truly disturbing and upsetting – children and babies unrestrained in the front seat, people bypassing seatbelt alarms by jerry-rigging the driver’s buckle latch, use of laptops while driving at high speeds,” he said.
“If you think this message doesn’t apply to you, please think again, the power to reduce the road toll lies in all our hands.”
Warner said the commission was warning road users as the Easter long weekend, and double demerits, approached.
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