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Western Australia’s AI-assisted road safety cameras, deployed in October 2025, have issued tens of thousands of penalties and sparked a controversy over accuracy and fairness.
Authorities say the systems have detected about 53,000 seatbelt infringements in six months and that 184,232 total offences for speeding, seatbelt errors and distracted driving have been recorded since rollout.
The Department of Transport and Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby have defended the technology as effective at changing behaviour and saving lives, and said fewer than 4% of offences overall have been overturned.
Of motorists who appealed, about 60% had fines withdrawn.
Media reports cite between roughly 2,000 and 5,237 withdrawn infringements, with at least A$1.1 million in cancelled fines.
Critics — including campaigners and affected drivers — argue the cameras catch minor sash adjustments, penalise drivers for passengers’ actions and cause prolonged, stressful appeals.
The government says more cameras will be rolled out in a staged approach and has commissioned a broad review of infringements, to report in 2027.
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Observers note key legal and statistical context: drivers are liable for passengers’ seatbelts, and the 4% overturn figure is not equivalent to an accuracy error rate because appealed cases saw ~60% withdrawals. Concerns center on repeat retroactive fines, slow appeals and potential impacts on caregivers, prompting calls for more human oversight and policy fixes.







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