The number of seal belt offences in Dubbo and beyond has increased recently according to the latest State Revenue Office statistics, with numbers also revealing a contrasting downswing in the region's eastern reaches.
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In the Orana Mid-Western PD catchment the figures show 222 seat belt offences were recorded at 31.71 per month, compared to 26.91 from the 12 months prior, when a total of 323 were reported.
Should that trend continue through the final five months of the current financial year, it would potentially mark a yearly increase of 17 per cent.
Meanwhile, the figures show overall declines in the Orange and Bathurst regions.
The figures show 68 seat belt related infringements worth a collective total of just under $24,000 have been recorded in the Central West PD catchment since the beginning of the financial year, with the dataset complete until January 31.
They number of infringements handed out has increased month-to-month as motorists returned to the road following coronavirus lockdowns, however the average of 9.71 per month still compares favourably to the 12 months prior.
In the previous financial year there was a total of 137 infringements recorded collectively worth almost $50,000, with the average mark per month sitting slightly higher at 11.41.
The figures show a similar, albeit far more dramatic downward trend in Bathurst and surrounding areas, with significantly fewer infringements recorded in the Chifley PD catchment.
The latest State Revenue Office numbers show an average of 19.71 offences per month across the Chifley region compared to 30.66 in the previous year, with a total of 138 infringements worth almost $50,000 recorded since July last year.
That decline could be the result of a number of factors, particularly capacity limitations at last October's Bathurst 1000, with only 4,000 fans permitted each day compared to around 50,000 welcomed per day in 2019.
Macquarie Sector Traffic Inspector, Chief Inspector Simon Maund, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command said, following the conclusion of Operation TRANCE earlier this year, seat belt offences are something police continue to target.
"Two thirds of all fatalities occur on country roads (and) police will continue to target drivers who speed but will also be looking to target drink driving, people not wearing a seatbelt, fatigue, people who are drug impaired - any other risk taking behaviours that will contribute to road trauma," he said.
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
