Man hit with $1,100 seatbelt fine despite buckled-up passenger: 'Can’t believe people consider this an offence'

Driving is a responsibility that comes with its own set of rules and regulations, which were designed to ensure the safety of all road users.

However, a recent incident involving a Brisbane motorist has sparked a heated debate about the interpretation and enforcement of these rules.

One driver was slapped with a whopping $1,100 fine for what authorities deemed as his passenger's incorrect use of a seatbelt.

But was the passenger really buckled up incorrectly? Let's delve into the details.



The driver, who remains anonymous, was left dumbfounded when he received the hefty fine notice.

He insisted that his partner, who was seated in the front passenger seat, was indeed buckled up.

However, her wet weather jacket had obscured the seatbelt, leading to the misunderstanding.


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A man fined $1,100 for a seatbelt violation claimed his passenger was indeed wearing a seatbelt. Image source: Reddit.


To seek advice and share his frustration, the driver turned to a popular social media platform and uploaded a series of images showing his partner wearing the seatbelt, albeit obscured by her jacket.



'I got hit with a $1100 fine for my partner not wearing her seatbelt “correctly” in the passenger seat,' the driver wrote.

'As you can see in the photos, the seatbelt is worn correctly, but her jumper is covering the seatbelt across her chest.'


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The images showed that the passenger had a seatbelt strapped to her waist. Image source: Reddit.


The images show the lower part of the seatbelt strapped to her waist, while the shoulder strap appears to be hidden under her jacket.

The driver's post quickly garnered attention, with hundreds of users expressing their confusion and outrage over the fine.



Many agreed that the seatbelt appeared to be worn correctly, and the fine was unjust.

'To me, it looks like it's [seatbelt] being worn correctly,' one commented.

'$1,100 for that is insane,' another replied.

While a third said: 'Wow. Cannot believe people consider this an offence.'

However, others questioned the passenger's decision to wear her seatbelt underneath her jacket, sparking a debate about the correct way to wear a seatbelt.

'That is a silly way to wear a jumper,' one commented.

Others said seatbelt laws do not specify whether the seatbelt must be visible when drivers or their passengers are inside a vehicle and travelling on the road.



The Queensland Revenue Office, responsible for enforcing road safety laws, uses fixed cameras equipped with artificial intelligence to detect potential offences.

These cameras operate 24/7, capturing multiple images of passing vehicles.

A spokesperson for the office declined to comment on the specific matter but stressed that potential violations are investigated.

'If a possible offence is detected, the images are reviewed by an authorised officer within QRO to determine whether to issue an infringement,' Queensland Revenue Office said.

In Queensland, drivers caught not wearing a seatbelt are fined $1,161 and receive four demerit points.

Furthermore, the driver is held responsible for ensuring all passengers are wearing their seatbelts correctly.

Those who believe they have been incorrectly fined can submit inquiries online for a review or contest the matter in court.
Key Takeaways
  • A Brisbane driver was fined $1,100 after a road safety camera caught his passenger allegedly not wearing a seatbelt correctly.
  • The driver argued on social media that the seatbelt was worn properly, but obscured by a jacket, and posted photos as evidence.
  • There was confusion and discontent among Reddit users about the legitimacy of the fine and the way the seatbelt was worn.
  • Queensland drivers face substantial fines and demerit points for seatbelt offences, and the driver is responsible for passengers' compliance. Motorists can appeal fines if they believe them to be incorrect.
What are your thoughts on this incident? Have you ever experienced a similar situation? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below.
 

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How can you put a jumper on over a seatbelt?
It appears to be a zip-up jacket, so she may have put the seatbelt on prior to zipping up the jacket, hence the jacket is over the top of the seatbelt. Still a crazy thing to do because it would create more obstacles for a rescue team attending an accident if and when you were involved in one.
 
Looking closely at the pictures you can see the seatbelt is across the passengers lap and buckle. Because the sun visor down you cannot see the seat belt at shoulder level. The seatbelt MUST go across the chest. The seatbelt is not visible on the front of the jacket but you might allow that the colour being somewhat similar makes it hard to see. The claim is it is hidden by the jacket. If it’s hidden by the jacket, then it must be inside the jacket. Then it is still an offence as that is not the correct way to wear the seat belt. If you look at the buckle point you can see the seat belt shoulder section coming upward. However, as Ben suggests, the positioning of it indicates the belt is behind the back. Again, an offence as the belt is not correctly warn. I really get annoyed when people say it’s revenue raising. It’s not, look at the number of people that are aware you must have you seatbelt on but still choose not to we it correctly or not at all. Talk to first responders about wearing seatbelts and you will find out why you need to wear them.
 
My daughter copped a fine because somehow her 2 year old slipped one arm out of her seatbelt.
Yes she had it secured on her but this girl can get out of anything , climbs high ect she is a daredevil and a contortionist.
But no excuse was taken .
 

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