What does a seatbelt-detection camera capture?

Everyone wants to be comfortable on a long road trip, but what you may not know is that just one small adjustment to your front passenger's seatbelt could land you with six demerit points if caught out by a camera.

Despite it being illegal to incorrectly wear a seatbelt in all states and territories, seatbelt cameras are a relatively new fixture in Australia.

New South Wales introduced them in July 2024 and the Australian Capital Territory too, Victoria in July 2023, Queensland in July 2021, Tasmania in August 2023, and Western Australia in November 2024.

Within just four weeks of being installed in NSW, more than 10,000 people were caught not wearing their seatbelts correctly, while in the first six months after being installed in VIC, there were 20,000 people.

You may think just being clipped up is enough to dodge a fine – but you would be wrong. Here's what you need to know about seatbelt cameras before you get nabbed.

These cameras can detect not only a belt not buckled up at all, but also a seatbelt worn incorrectly.

When NSW Roads lodged a "stop it or cop it" campaign for the seatbelt cameras, it used the example of someone wearing their seatbelt under their arm instead of over their shoulder.

This falls under "not wearing a seatbelt properly adjusted/fastened" of Road Rules 2014 – Regulations 264 and 265:

"The seatbelt is secured in the buckle with the lap portion of the belt sitting low and firmly over the passenger's hips, and the sash portion of the belt is positioned firmly over the passenger's shoulder and not under the passenger's arm furthest from the secured buckle or behind the passenger's back."

This rule applies to both the driver and the passenger. It should be noted that if the passenger is over 16 years old, they can also receive a fine if stopped by a police officer. However, the cameras will only issue a fine to the driver in this instance.

Artificial intelligence software then sifts through these images to detect possible illegal seatbelt fitment (as well as illegal mobile phone use).

Images that don't appear to show illegal behaviour are deleted, while those that do will be flagged for further review by the authorities.

Seatbelt cameras utilise the existing mobile phone detection camera network.

That means there are two types of seatbelt detection cameras in operation across Australia: fixed and mobile. What they look like will vary depending on your location, but generally speaking, they have to comply with certain criteria.

Fixed cameras are typically fitted to existing infrastructure – such as the speed camera network or digital road signage – and operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They are usually black boxes that resemble red light cameras/speed cameras and sometimes look like a toll-booth sensor on a digital sign, making them more difficult to spot.

Meanwhile, portable cameras move around both regional and urban roads and are easier to identify, given they are large, long-armed structures that are sometimes bright yellow in colour.

Typically, they are also fitted with extensive CCTV security and tracking systems, and are sometimes powered by large solar panels that sit at the base of the structure.

Despite the fact that the images are AI sorted and then further reviewed by authorities, they can still get it wrong.

The issue caused the unfair licence suspension of more than 600 motorists who were nabbed during a double demerits period.  

In NSW, the images are independently reviewed before the fines are sent out. However, mistakes can still be made. One user took to Reddit to prove their innocence after they believed they were incorrectly fined for their passenger's seatbelt.

After receiving a fine from a seatbelt-detection camera, you can view the images captured by the camera, appeal the fine for extra review, or escalate to a court hearing.

"There are a total of 47 fixed and transportable mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras that operate in NSW to achieve over 135 million vehicle checks each year," a Transport for NSW spokesperson told Drive.

"Fixed cameras are positioned on roads with a high traffic volume and using the selection criteria outlined in the NSW Automated Enforcement Strategy for road safety, which includes risk levels, geographic spread of enforcement, and difficult locations for NSW Police to enforce.

"Transportable cameras operate across the road network to increase unpredictability of enforcement. This supports deterrence because illegal mobile phone and seatbelt non-compliance occurs across the road network.  Mobile Phone and Seatbelt Detection Cameras began enforcing seatbelt offences on 1 July 2024."

The NSW transport authority does not publish the locations of its seatbelt-detection cameras.

In NSW, the fine for incorrect seatbelt useage is $410 and three demerit points, which is accelerated to six demerit points during double demerit periods.

Victoria currently has eight seatbelt cameras – all of them mobile and situated on portable trailers – that can be deployed across more than 200 locations in rural and metropolitan areas.

The locations of these cameras are published monthly and can be found here.

In VIC, the fine for incorrect seatbelt useage is $395 and three demerit points, which is accelerated to six demerit points during double-demerit times.

"Fixed and transportable mobile phone and seatbelt cameras are installed throughout Queensland," a Queensland Transport and Main Roads spokesperson told Drive.

"Their locations are based on where road crash injuries or fatalities have occurred where using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt were contributing factors."

The Queensland transport authority does not publish the locations of its seatbelt-detection cameras.

In QLD, the fine for incorrect seatbelt useage is $1209 and four demerit points, which is accelerated to eight demerit points during double-demerit periods.

South Australia does not currently use cameras to monitor seatbelt useage. However, incorrect fitment is still illegal and will incur a fine of $381 plus a $60 Victims of Crime fee and three demerit points, up to six during double-demerit periods.

The ACT also utilises its mobile phone detection network to nab drivers not wearing their seatbelt correctly.

There are five camera set-ups, two fixed and three mobile. Of the two fixed cameras, one is located on Hindmarsh Drive, and the other is on Gungahlin Drive.

The fine for incorrect seatbelt useage in the ACT is $353 and three demerit points, accelerated to six demerit points during double-demerit times.

Western Australia is currently in the process of rolling out six new mobile-safety cameras that will detect speed, phone useage and if you are not wearing your seatbelt.

"The WA Government has awarded Australian-based technology company Acusensus an up to five-year contract to provide six new safety camera trailers. These safety cameras will be used across the state. They will be funded from the Road Trauma Trust Account," the WA Road Safety Commission said in a November 2024 statement.

The fine for incorrect seatbelt useage in the ACT is $550 and four demerit points, accelerated to eight demerit points during double-demerit periods.

However, unlike other states, the fine only increases marginally when more than one passenger is unrestrained: the fine for an unrestrained driver with one unrestrained passenger is $600; for two it's $700; for three it's $800; and for four or more unrestrained passengers it's $900.

Tasmania utilises its mobile traffic detection cameras, four of which have seatbelt and mobile phone detection capabilities. The locations of Tasmania's portable seatbelt-detection cameras are not listed.

The fine for incorrect seatbelt useage in TAS is $404 and three demerit points, accelerated to six demerit points during double-demerit times.

The Northern Territory does not currently use cameras to monitor seatbelt useage. However, incorrect fitment is still illegal and will incur a $500 fine and three demerit points, up to six during double-demerit periods..

Zane Dobie comes from a background of motorcycle journalism, working for notable titles such as Australian Motorcycle News Magazine, Just Bikes and BikeReview. Despite his fresh age, Zane brings a lifetime of racing and hands-on experience. His passion now resides on four wheels as an avid car collector, restorer, drift car pilot and weekend go-kart racer.

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