Seatbelts on properly or $1161

Would you rather spend $1161 on something you'd love or on a fine for not wearing your seatbelt properly?

Would you rather wear your seatbelt properly, or risk serious injury in a car crash, or worse?

These are the questions being asked of Queenslanders in a new $1.5 million road safety campaign.

The new mobile phone and seatbelt enforcement cameras have revealed more Queenslanders are incorrectly wearing seatbelts compared to those not using them at all.

Some of the common incorrect seatbelt behaviours detected by the cameras are pushing the diagonal sash under the arm, looping the belt only around the arm, or holding the belt away from the body.

There's only one way to wear a seatbelt, with the sash part running diagonally from your shoulder across your chest and above your stomach, the buckle low on your hip, and lap part across your pelvis and hips.

Drivers should ensure their passengers are buckled up correctly before starting each journey – or risk a $1161 fine and 4 demerits for each person not properly restrained, while also risking serious injury or worse.

An incorrectly worn seatbelt can cause severe injuries in a crash including fractures to the sternum, ribs, vertebra, skull, face and neck.

The lungs, heart, oesophagus, stomach and bowel could also be injured. Shoulders could be dislocated, fractured or suffer nerve damage, and in some instances, degloving could also occur.

To view the campaign and check out the penalties, visit StreetSmarts.