Originally Posted by
rooivalk
and the comment about paying about earthquake damage is going to piss off a few New Zealanders.
And not surprisingly so.
As others have said, ignorance of the law is not an excuse and, in any case (for what it's worth), it is not, I think, uncommon around the world for the law to require rear-seat passengers to wear a seatbelt, although that might not be the case in New York state.
Without knowing what the law, regulations and common practice are in New Zealand for this offence regarding the imposition of a fine, it is impossible to say whether being let off with a warning was an option that could legitimately have been exercised or not.