Driver's 'concerning' act lands him 24 demerit points and $1300 in fines
A driver has been slapped with 24 demerit points for a “concerning” act.
Police pulled the man over in Rutherford in the NSW Hunter Region about 2pm (local time) on Saturday, suspected of exceeding the speed limit.
What Traffic and Highway Patrol officers discovered on closer inspection of the man’s silver Toyota Camry were three children in the back – each of them allegedly unrestrained.
A nine-year-old girl in the middle seat was attempting to clip in her seatbelt as officers approached, while her four-year-old sister in a booster chair was seated with no belts fitted at all, according to a post on the patrol’s Facebook page.
“In what was even more concerning was on the other side of the girl was a one-month-old boy laying unrestrained in a child capsule which was also not affixed to the seat in any way,” the post read.
Police added the man presented them his international driver’s licence and further enquiries revealed he had only just applied for a NSW learner’s licence in December last year.
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His application was refused due to him having previously accrued too many demerit points, police said.
Saturday’s alleged offences amounted to 12 total demerit points, which due to the Australia Day long weekend, was doubled.
Police say he was fined for class A motor vehicle exceed speed limit, drive with passenger seven years or older but less than 16-years-old not restrained as prescribed, and drive with passenger four years or older but less than seven-years-old not restrained as prescribed.
He was also fined for drive with child under six months not restrained as prescribed, according to the post.
Social media users were critical of the driver, with the post being shared more than 100 times at the time of publication after it was shared on Sunday.
“That vehicle was a horrendous accident waiting to happen. So glad the police stopped the inevitable from happening,” one person wrote.
“He was wearing his seatbelt. Obviously the only person he thought or cared about was himself. What a joke. He probably drove home,” another said.
“Absolutely ridiculous... bet he had his [seatbelt] on. He would never get a licence,” a third added.
The man was also issued a court attendance notice to attend Maitland Local Court for drive whilst refused.
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