<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The latest consequences of </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/western-australia" rel="" target="" title="Western Australia"><span>Western Australia</span></a><span>'s </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/artificial-intelligence" rel="" target="" title="artificial-intelligence"><span>artificial-intelligence</span></a><span>-driven seatbelt crackdown include a man with an exemption who's received almost $20,000 in fines and a disability support worker who says she is now too scared to drive some patients.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="http://9news.com.au/perth" rel="" target="" title="Perth"><span>Perth</span></a><span>'s AI-based cameras have issued more than 40,000 fines in just five months and 9News has been inundated with stories, some of them heartbreaking, from frustrated </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/motoring" rel="" target="" title="drivers"><span>drivers</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The state government today encouraged motorists to appeal fines they didn't agree with but some callers to the Department of Transport were left sitting on hold for an hour.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/tehran-intensifies-attacks-on-gulf-energy-facilities-after-israel-hits-iranian-gas-field/29d9d94d-bd9b-4477-8c12-3890b8d9bdfc"><strong><span>Trump threatens to 'blow up' world's largest gas field</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Perth man who lives with a rare bone cancer and has a medical exemption clearing him of needing to wear a seatbelt has racked up nearly 200 demerits and $20,000 in fines since October.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If my chest was going to take that [the impact of a seatbelt], it would just crumble and just go into my organs, and there wouldn't be much left of me," the man, who asked not to be identified, told 9News.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Most of the fines have been withdrawn but it has taken "a lot of time", leaving the 69-year-old frustrated.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/wa-seatbelt-fines-frustrated-drivers-share-ai-fine-woes/d610f2bb-e75a-4418-b198-348e90420fb3" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They actually have to physically have someone there, sitting there watching, which, to me, as a taxpayer, is also a hell of a waste of money," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sean Sheriff's wife was snapped by an AI camera easing her belt from her waist on Christmas Day.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She was in such agony it was absolutely unbelievable," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-weather-news-tropical-low-could-develop-into-cyclone-off-the-far-north-coast-by-the-end-of-the-week/22d36efb-98ef-470e-99de-fe9a23cda346"><strong><span>'Stay indoors': Worst cyclone in 100 years bearing down</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 80-year-old later died from cancer but her grieving husband received a $550 fine and eight demerit points for the transgression.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He appealed to the department but was yet to receive a reply.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's unreal. It's absolutely tragic," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In my opinion, if I had been stopped by a police car or police motorcycle cop or whatever, we'd have explained the situation and he'd have said on your bike."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The department confirmed today the AI camera images were verified by a human before fines were sent out.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The important thing we have is to make sure that people have an opportunity to appeal and to hear about the individual circumstances," Premier Roger Cook said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/teachers-tears-after-sexually-assaulting-student-nsw-monique-nguyen/37092d6d-8c76-4f3e-812a-9068b4e0cba8" rel="" target="" title=""><strong><span>Tears after sex with student she should have been teaching</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said she would seek further advice about resourcing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Road Safety Commission is reviewing penalties and is due to hand in its verdict next year, but transport and public policy expert Ross Taylor says that's too late. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They say it will be looked at next year, which means they then will pick up another $100 million in fines in the interim," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's totally objectionable. It's obscene and it's a despicable act of poor government."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The commission is considering a transfer of demerits and fines from the driver to adult licenced passengers and issuing a warning first to those with a good driving record. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Disability support worker Samantha Harvey will no longer drive some clients.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If they don't have the capacity to understand wearing a seat belt is important for their safety, and I take the blame, then I could potentially lose my licence," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"... The risk is pushing people with disabilities back into social isolation and preventing them from getting to important medical appointments or physio or things that they really rely on to, you know, get through life."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>