"I just can't believe it," Inspector Jeff Boon said.

"Dubbo is a town that has a proliferation of bullbars that don't comply with Australian standards."

Inspector Boon said when it came to fishing rod holders that jut out, "you may as well strap on a couple of steak knives".

He said the imposing "five poster" bullbar, illegal on all models made after 2002, was more likely to push a pedestrian under a car to their death.

It is understood Dubbo police are set to crack down, especially on cars less than five years old which do not require a roadworthiness check.

Australian standards forbid sharp or ragged edges on bullbars and "any attachment or protrusion projecting forward of bullbar or bumper bar which presents a danger to other road users".

Bullbars which reduce a driver's view of the road are also banned.

Pedestrian Council of Australia chairman Harold Scruby said the police and government had not done enough to stamp out illegal bullbars, including the "five poster" style.

"They are giant things, weighing about half a ton; they are very, very sharp," Mr Scruby said.

Mr Scruby said bullbars reduced driver safety by interfering with a car's "crumple zone" and that they had retarded the pace of safety innovation.

Scott's Parts Plus owner Brett Warwick said airbag compliance was the major requirement and that bullbar manufacturers already minimised risks to pedestrians and other drivers.

Mr Warwick said while some of his customers saw bullbars as "a bit of bling" for their car, many country drivers wanted a solid grill to protect against animals.

"They do hit bulls out there, they don't just hit kangaroos," he said.