Panel van driver cops 33 demerit points as police find five unrestrained children in car

A man driving a panel van has received a whopping 33 demerit points in a single stop after police glanced in the back of his vehicle.

Police have issued a man in south west Sydney with 33 demerit points after being pulled over for a random breath test led to the discovery of five unrestrained children in his panel van.

Police pulled over the van about 11.40am on Saturday morning on the Campbelltown Highway in Woodbine as part of Operation Go Slow.

When talking to the driver, 38, police noticed an 11-year-old girl in the back was not wearing a seatbelt. A three-year-old in an unapproved baby seat was also not wearing a seatbelt.

Cops inspected the man’s panel van further and found three more children in the back, hidden underneath a blanket, unrestrained, on the floor of the van.

The 38-year old man was issued with a series of driving unrestrained child offences, copping six demerits for each infringement — a total of 30 demerit points in unrestrained child offences.

He was also charged with an offence for the defective seatbelt, which carries a further three demerits, bringing his total to 33 demerits points.

Police conducting random breath tests on New Year’s Day in Revesby. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Hours later, at 2pm, a 31-year-old woman was pulled over for a random breath test in Moree. Police discovered four unrestrained children travelling in her vehicle.

The woman was issued with four infringements and, a total of 24 demerit points.

It comes a week after a driver on the NSW Central Coast has been pulled over and fined $1348 and lost 28 demerit points.

The 24-year-old woman was pulled over in a Holden Captiva just after 5pm on April 22 on the Pacific Highway for using her phone while driving.

The mother of three had her children - aged five, three and one - all in the car’s back seat.

Police noticed the children were in their seats however two of the children’s seat straps were not tightened correctly and none of the seats were anchored appropriately.

While NSW Police are targeting speeding, driver distraction and drink driving, an increased presence means all unsafe practices are on the radar, according to Michael Corboy, Assistant Commissioner of Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.

“People need to be accountable for unsafe driving practices, whatever they may be,” he said.

“The reality is they are not only putting the lives of themselves and their passengers at risk but also others travelling on NSW roads.

“While there will always be those who persist in putting the lives of others in danger on our roads, we will be even more persistent in ensuring our roads are safe for the people of NSW,” Assistant Commissioner Corboy said.