ACT Policing caught 39 drivers for seatbelt offences during September and will now move to targeting traffic control offences during October as part of its multi-agency road safety strategy.

Of the 39 seatbelt offence, 36 were for drivers not wearing their seatbelt and 3 for passengers not wearing seatbelts or not properly restrained. One was for a driver with a child passenger, between the ages of one and seven years old, not wearing a seatbelt.

Traffic Operations Acting Superintendent Rod Anderson said the seatbelt offences were low compared to previous targeted operations.

“We hope that the relatively low number of people caught during this month of targeting shows that more Canberra drivers are getting the message. Still, there are some drivers who continue to risk their lives by not wearing seatbelts or allow their passengers or children to ride without seatbelts or proper restraints,” Acting Superintendent Anderson said.

ACT Policing will now focus on traffic control offences during the month of October. This includes motorists disobeying red/yellow lights and arrows, not stopping or giving way at intersections and not using a roundabout correctly.

TAMS statistics show that about half of all collisions on ACT roads occur at intersections. Of those, around one tenth results in injuries or death.

“If drivers think they can sneak through a red light or roll through a stop sign without consequence, they should think again. Failure by a motorist to obey traffic controls is an over-represented factor in collisions that result in serious injuries or fatalities.”

“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility, so it’s paramount that motorists obey traffic rules to ensure the safety of everyone traveling on our roads,” Acting Superintendent Anderson said.

Fines for different traffic control offences range from a minimum of $203 and two demerit points to $340 and three demerit points for each offence.