Thousands of seatbelt fines issued in Canberra may be refunded following the discovery of a legal error in the system used to detect the offenses. Access Canberra, a government agency, found that traffic cameras were approved for mobile phone detection but lacked the necessary legal documentation to issue fines for seatbelt violations. The agency identified the error two weeks ago, by which time approximately 13,000 seatbelt fines had been issued since November.
Around 6,500 motorists have already paid their fines or had their cases resolved. Fines for not wearing a properly adjusted and fastened seatbelt are $641, along with three demerit points. According to Josh Rynehart, an executive at Access Canberra, fines that have already been paid will stand, meaning affected drivers will retain any demerit points.
The ACT Opposition has intensified calls for affected drivers to receive refunds following the disclosure of the oversight. ACT Opposition Leader Mark Parton stated that the situation places the government in an "extremely embarrassing and precarious situation" and that the Canberra Liberals are examining all options, including refunds. He indicated a strong community expectation that the government made a significant error.
The ACT Legislative Assembly is anticipated to consider retrospective legislation to rectify the error and validate the seatbelt fines. This situation in Canberra is not isolated; road enforcement cameras utilizing AI systems have also faced scrutiny in other Australian states.
In Western Australia, thousands of drivers have lodged complaints about perceived unfair penalties since the state's AI-driven cameras became operational last year. A review found that nearly 6,000 of the 81,000 fines issued were incorrectly applied, leading to their revocation. In Queensland, an audit revealed that the state's regulations for AI use on roads were inadequate, with the Department of Transport failing to sufficiently assess AI risks or monitor system operations.
