Aussie driver fined $387 over bizarre seatbelt fix
Police questioned the state of the driver's seatbelt before issuing the hefty fine.
Not wearing a seatbelt while driving is a known offence on Aussie roads, so too is wearing one incorrectly — but its condition is just as important as using one, police have warned.
The message comes after a Sydney driver was found with a sad looking seatbelt during a random stationary test at Richmond in the city's northwest, resulting in a hefty $387 fine.
A photo shared by NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol shows the shocking state of the driver's seatbelt which had evidently seen better days. It was held together with duct tape, had frayed edges, and looked like it would snap at any moment. Police described the seatbelt as "dangerously defective".
"Seatbelts help to save lives, except for this one...." the police department shared on Facebook on Wednesday. "Hawkesbury Highway Patrol were recently conducting random stationary testing on Londonderry Road at Richmond when they spoke with a driver about his seatbelt.
"Not only was the seatbelt not being worn, an inspection of the seatbelt found it to be dangerously defective," they added. "He was issued a defect notice and infringement in the amount of $387 and three demerit points. Please ensure your seatbelts don't look like this."
Seatbelt condition part of rego safety check
For a vehicle more than five years old to be roadworthy in NSW it must first pass an eSafety check, also known as a pink slip inspection. These inspections must be performed at authorised inspection stations with the results electronically lodged with the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).
Part of the safety check includes a thorough inspection of the vehicle's body, engine, electronics and also the seatbelt condition, making many on social media question how it passed to begin with.
"And who passed the Pink Slip? That’s where I’d be heading," one expressed on the social media post. "I wonder who did the rego check on this vehicle," another agreed.
The car's condition stunned Aussies who couldn't believe how the seatbelt got so bad. "How does it even get to that stage," one question. While others agreed the seatbelt was no longer safe.
While the cost of a new seatbelt can vary, Autobarn, Australia's largest franchise retailer of automotive accessories, sells standard seatbelts for under $200. However, for specific car models, seatbelts can cost up to $550.
Previously, a dad was fined $2,156 in two weeks for his daughter's seatbelt mistake while another driver won a fight over an 'unfair' $413 fine.
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