By Eleanor Wicklund
Publication Date: 2026-03-12 06:32:00
A driver has spoken out against AI traffic cameras, calling them an “outrageous intrusion” after he received a $550 fine because his daughter’s seatbelt slipped for a few seconds.
Perth father Nick Dekker was driving to the beach on the Kwinana Freeway in January when his 12-year-old daughter briefly tucked her seatbelt under her arm to put her hair in a ponytail.
However, this split-second decision resulted in Mr Dekker being hit with a hefty fine and his partner, to whom the vehicle was registered, losing four demerit points.
“A lot happens in a car full of kids; it’s a pretty active place,” Mr Dekker said 9Newsand added that the car was carrying three other girls.
“I didn’t even notice that my daughter was doing her hair or that the seatbelt had slipped backwards. It was just that split second.”
Last year, cameras that use AI to detect illegal cell phone use and seatbelt improper use were rolled out across Western Australia.
The first six month period in which…
