Australian Driver Collapsed to Floor After Receiving Massive Fine Over Mobile Detection Showing Him Using Cellphone While Driving

By Madz Dizon

May 02, 2024 10:13 AM EDT

Australian Driver Collapsed to Floor After Receiving Massive Fine Over Mobile Detection Showing Him Using Cellphone While Driving — A parking ticket sits on the windscreen of the car driven by Essendon Bombers AFL coach James Hird as he arrives at Windy Hill on August 13, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.
(Photo : Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

An Australian driver from Sydney's western suburbs claims he collapsed after being fined when a mobile detection camera detected him using his phone while driving.

Australian Driver Receives Hefty Fine and Penalty

The man, 62, was notified by mail of the $387 fine and loss of 10 demerit points, which is double the typical punishment due to it being Easter Monday. Husni Tarmizi, the driver's son, says he saw him collapse in horror after reading the fine notice.

The family has contested the story, claiming the camera showed him clutching his wallet and $50 cash rather than his phone. The image from the incident shows the man holding his phone in a cradle and what looks to be a wallet.

Son Appeals Father's Traffic Fine

"I went to the computer and downloaded the image and I could see clearly that it's a wallet [in his hand], you can see his phone is in the cradle," he told Yahoo News," he informed Yahoo.

According to Tarmizi, his father is not very tech-savvy and rarely uses his phone. The 62-year-old had departed from his residence to refuel his vehicle at the nearby service station.

He received a significant number of demerit points, which were doubled due to it being Easter Monday.

The father is facing the possibility of having his license suspended as NSW has a maximum accumulation of 13 points before canceling a driver's license.

Tarmizi expressed some concern about his father's potential reaction to the fine, considering his current heart condition. He has confirmed that he has appealed the fine and is currently waiting for a response. He decided to dispute it after receiving advice from others.

Another individual, Frank Singh, received a the same fine despite not possessing a mobile phone or computer. As a result, he decided to take Revenue NSW to court.

Last September, he was fined $362 for being caught on a mobile phone detection camera on the Pacific Motorway in NSW's Northern Rivers region, Daily Mail reported.