A Current Affair: Queensland mum fined after pumping breast milk in passenger seat

A mother has been left in shock after receiving a fine for something she's done countless times before.

Meagan and Benjamin Schmock were on their way home from their Gold Coast honeymoon, when Mrs Schmock, who is a breastfeeding mum, began to feel unwell.

"I was getting quite engorged and it was getting incredibly uncomfortable for me. It's throbbing, it's hot," Mrs Schmock told A Current Affair.

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With her husband behind the wheel, the mum was able to pump breast milk for her 10-month-old son Billy.

"To have to sit in the car for an hour-and-a-half, maybe two hours, waiting to get home to feed my little one, It just wasn't going to happen," Mrs Schmock said.

The relief didn't last long, with traffic cameras on the Gold Coast snapping a photo of the mum pumping in her nursing bra.

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"They have captured me taking my seatbelt off; putting it underneath my arm so I can unhook my breast pump," she said.

Mrs Schmock claims her seatbelt remained clipped in the whole time and was only slipped under her armpit for a split second.

But the manoeuver has now landed her husband a hefty infringement notice for driving with a passenger who failed to wear their seatbelt correctly.

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"It was $1161 and four demerit points. I was gob-smacked. I was shocked," Mrs Schmock said.

"I saw the money fine first and I was just like, 'what's happened'? And then as I've unfolded the letter, I've seen this photo and then looked closer and been like, 'that's me pumping'."

Mrs Schmock claims she had no idea you could get fined for adjusting your seatbelt and after sharing her story on social media, she said a lot of other mums have expressed their shock too.

"I felt a lot of support from that - realising that a lot more (mums) didn't know," Mrs Schmock said.

Another Queensland mum also learned the same lesson the hard way.

The same seatbelt camera also captured her in the passenger seat pumping breast milk and she was fined $413 and three demerit points.

"As a breastfeeding mum - and I'm sure any other moms who have breastfeed or who have pumped before know that - you can't just really wait," Mrs Schmock said.

"Particularly when you're almost at the stage of engorgement, it's incredibly painful."

Mrs Schmock and her husband are now disputing the fine with the Department of Transport and Main Roads and they are considering exploring the potential for a seatbelt exemption due to a medical condition.

A correctly adjusted and fitted seatbelt is proven to reduce the risk of serious injury in a crash by 50 per cent and death by 45 per cent.

Incorrect or non-seatbelt use is a known factor in almost one in three lives lost on Queensland roads each year.

Wearing a seatbelt correctly across the shoulder, chest and pelvis will re-distribute the force of the vehicle across the strongest parts of the body and therefore reduce the likelihood of extensive external and internal injuries.

Incorrectly worn seatbelts may redistribute this force to more sensitive regions in the body causing significant injury to organs.

Not wearing properly adjusted and fastened seatbelts is also a major factor in sustaining spinal cord injuries in the event of a car crash. Specifically, research shows that underarm use of shoulder belts is hazardous and may cause fatal injuries in otherwise survivable crashes.

It is the driver's responsibility to ensure everyone travelling within the vehicle is wearing a correctly fitted seatbelt.

Motorists will receive an infringement notice if a camera detects them, or their passenger, failing to do so. This includes if the belt is placed under their arm. All seatbelt offences attract a $1,161 fine and 4 demerit points. It is noted that the fine for seatbelt offences increased from 1 July 2022.

In some very limited circumstances a doctor may issue a seatbelt exemption certificate on medical grounds.

The doctor should consult the guidelines within the Assessing Fitness to Drive publication.

These guidelines have been developed in conjunction with medical experts and highlight the rare circumstances where a seatbelt exemption is considered appropriate.

In almost all cases there are other options to an exemption, including padding and alternative restraint options.

Expressing breast milk is not included in the guidelines as a suitable reason for a doctor to issue a seatbelt exemption certificate.

Should a new mother need to express breast milk, they or their driver should stop and park safely before commencing.

The risk of injury or death of the parent in a crash far outweighs any efficiency created by pumping while driving.

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