More Perth drivers come forward to challenge fines
The state government is encouraging West Australians caught by AI-powered traffic cameras to contact the already-pressured Department for Transport; because more drivers are expressing their concerns about the penalties imposed.
More than 40,000 fines have been issued in the last six months. Drivers who were fined after being captured by AI traffic cameras are taking their fights to court.
Sean Sheriff’s wife was filmed on Christmas Day last year by an artificial intelligence camera pulling down the belt on her aching waist.
Her husband was fined $550 and forfeited eight demerit points for this violation.
The 80-year-old woman has since passed away from cancer.
The sheriff contacted the Department of Transportation and has yet to receive a response.
“He was in so much pain it was absolutely incredible,” he said.
“It’s not real, it’s absolutely tragic. To me, if I had been stopped by a police car or a police motorcycle or whatever, we would have explained the situation and said it on your bike.”
Another driver, who wished to remain anonymous, lives with a rare bone cancer and has a medical exemption that frees him from having to wear a seat belt.
To date, the man has received nearly 2,000 demerit points and a $20,000 fine since October.
The man said, “If my chest had lifted this during a crash, it would have shattered and entered my organs and there would not have been much left of me.”
“It took me a lot of time and it was very frustrating.”
Although most of the man’s fines have been withdrawn by the Ministry of Transport, he believes it is still an expensive and time-consuming task.
“There actually has to be someone physically sitting there watching, which in my opinion as a taxpayer is a complete waste of money,” he said.
Prime Minister Roger Cook said it was important that people had the opportunity to challenge breaches caught on camera.
“The important thing we have is to ensure that people have the opportunity to appeal and get information about individual situations,” he said.
Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said her department was investigating the matter.
“There have been a lot of fines and a lot of appeals, again I will be seeking further advice on sourcing,” he said.
The Road Safety Commission is currently reviewing the penalties and is expected to make a decision next year.
But Ross Taylor, former chief executive of the WA branch of the Chartered Institute of Transport, believes it will be too late for those affected.
“To say it’s going to be reviewed next year, which means they’re going to get another $100 million fine in the meantime,” he said.
“This is obscene and a despicable act of evil government.”
9News Perth
