Michael Laws ticketed over unrestrained child

Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws would make no comment about his $150 fine for having an unrestrained child in his car. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Outspoken Wanganui Mayor and talkshow host Michael Laws has been fined after being stopped by police for driving while there was an unrestrained child on the lap of his front passenger.

Mr Laws was pulled over on the Hobson St onramp of Auckland's Southern Motorway on Sunday and issued with an instant $150 ticket, police sources told the Herald.

It is understood he argued that officers use their discretion because he had a sick child beside him.

It is not known who the child was, although Mr Laws' daughter, Lucy, 5, was diagnosed with leukaemia in early 2008.

Mr Laws last night refused to comment on the incident because the Herald would not reveal its sources.

In New Zealand children aged five and under must be strapped into an approved child restraint.

Safe Kids NZ - based at the Starship hospital in Auckland - is in its second year of a campaign pushing for the age to be raised.

When asked if he was denying the ticket had been issued, Mr Laws said:

"I can't possibly comment if police aren't saying anything and you've got this off the record."

Strategic road policing manager, Superintendent John Kelly, also refused to comment.

"Whether or not someone is issued with an infringement notice is a matter between them and the police and as far as I'm concerned it's a privacy matter," he said.

"If Mr Laws were actually issued with a ticket it's a matter of some privacy between him and the police, we don't make an announcement about every ticket we issue."

Mr Laws' traffic violation follows the recent deaths of Auckland children Lovedeep Singh, 6, and Adam Pretorius, 4, in serious crashes in which police say they were incorrectly belted or not properly restrained.

District road policing manager, Inspector Heather Wells, said at the time it was "really disappointing" many fatal accidents were occurring because people weren't restrained.


Seatbelt-related fatalities:

* March 12 - Adam Pretorius, 4, killed in head-on crash in Redvale. Police said he was not correctly restrained or seated.

* March 14 - Lovedeep Singh, 6, flung from van and killed when rolled on Southern Motorway. Police believe wasn't buckled in.

* April 2 - 7-year-old boy survived after being flung from van into oncoming traffic on Southern Motorway.