Driver charged for putting seatbelt on beer instead of children

A man has been charged after police found he had belted cartons of beer into car seats while leaving children unrestrained.

Police said several children, including a baby less than a year old, were found lying on the laps of adults and in the car's foot wells.

The driver was caught on Wednesday during a traffic patrol on western Australia's Great Northern Highway.

The 27-year-old man has been charged with no authority to drive and failure to restrain a child.

Kimberley District Superintendent Allan Adam told ABC the incident was unsurprising.

"We do have problems up here in the Kimberley," he said.

"This is the third traffic action we've had at that location with significant amounts of alcohol being conveyed along that route."

Superintendent Adam said the force had serious concerns about the number of people driving on suspended licenses and not restraining themselves or their passengers.

He added: And unfortunately on a large number of occasions those passengers are kids."