16% don't wear seatbelts correctly as confusion reigns: new report

NRMA’s Buckle Up Right report found that of the 126,728 seatbelt infringements issued in 2024/25, 88 per cent – or 111,521 fines - were for drivers or passengers wearing their seatbelts incorrectly. Only 12 per cent of fines were issued for not wearing a seatbelt at all.

The report found nearly two-thirds (62%) of offences were committed by passengers rather than drivers. In NSW, 32 people are killed and 74 seriously injured each year while not wearing a seatbelt. The NRMA is today calling for drivers to be allowed to nominate adult passengers for camera detected seatbelt offences, similar to proposed changes before the Queensland Parliament.

The Buckle Up Right report found that seatbelt infringements jumped 2,357 per cent to 132,755 fines in 2024/25 with the introduction of camera detection technology to complement the enforcement work of Police.

Buckle Up Right also calls for an immediate and large-scale public education campaign to improve awareness of correct seatbelt use. This is also to be launched prior to any potential expansion of the seatbelt detection camera program.

Buckle Up Right includes a new survey of 1,007 NSW residents, which found almost 40 per cent of motorists did not know who received the fine when a passenger was detected by a camera. The survey also found:

• 33% would still drive if a passenger wasn’t correctly wearing a seatbelt
• 11% of drivers never check if their passengers are wearing a seatbelt correctly; and
• 5% never check their passengers are wearing seatbelts at all.

NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said there was as immediate safety benefit to providing the public with more education around proper seatbelt use, with targeted campaigns towards high-risk groups such as pregnant women and older road users.

“The NRMA strongly supports the use of camera detection technology to enforce seatbelt laws, however when you have an almost 24-fold increase in fines and almost 90 per cent of those fines are for incorrect seatbelt use rather than no use at all, something is not right,” Mr Khoury said.

“Drivers nominating adult passengers who break the law ensures the penalty lands with the person committing the crime because nobody should lose their licence for an offence committed by someone else. After all, drivers should be focused on the road ahead of them.

“What is also needed is far more education around how to wear a seatbelt properly."

Buckle Up Right found the top three situations among those who didn’t always wear a seatbelt were on private property (34%); short trips close to home (31%); and when three or more people are seated in the back (20%).