00:02When a new colleague asked him for a lift home, Hugo Burton had no idea the trouble it would bring.
00:09So I got the fine in the mail. I knew the day that it was and I remembered it quite
00:16clearly, but I didn't at all know that he adjusted his seatbelt along the freeway.
00:21A $1,200 infringement notice from the Queensland government for not ensuring his passenger was properly buckled up.
00:29Eight months and three court appearances later, validation.
00:33A magistrate ruling, Mr Burton couldn't be reasonably expected to constantly monitor his passenger, especially on a busy freeway.
00:41Most judges and magistrates would much rather be dealing with far more serious offences than minor seatbelt offences such as
00:49these.
00:50And unfortunately, it's just pushing everything back, creating delays.
00:53Since AI camera systems started rolling out, the number of seatbelt infringement notices issued has skyrocketed.
01:01In 2024, almost 90% of seatbelt fines nationally were detected by cameras in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and
01:09Tasmania, where the new technology was in place.
01:12WA rolled out its own system less than six months ago.
01:16Millie Bartlett among the 36,000 people already to be issued a seatbelt infringement notice.
01:22Despite the photo showing, she is wearing a seatbelt.
01:26I think they're just casting the net wide.
01:29They're seeing who will pay up.
01:30I think the technology clearly isn't ready.
01:32And I think there's questions to be asked about government reliance on AI technology that is inept.
01:38As WA reviews its system, similar questions are being echoed in other states by affected drivers and the legal system
01:46forced to deal with them.
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