A WHITE Hills woman who was found driving five children, none of which were wearing seatbelts, told police she was running late.
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Bendigo Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Peter Dyer said the 47-year-old motorist was pulled over on Napier Street, White Hills on Wednesday about 9am.
He said police found four children seated across the rear seats without wearing belts and a six-year-old child seated in the foot well behind the front passenger seat.
He children were aged six to 16 years old.
Acting Sergeant Dyer said the driver and her adult passenger were both wearing seatbelts.
He said the driver had never held a licence.
"I am flabbergasted that people would do this. There is no excuse," he said.
"It doesn't matter what the reason is behind why they are doing it. It's disappointing, especially with children."
Acting Sergeant Dyer said said she was doing the school run and was running late.
He said the incident was a disaster wanting to happen.
"It was a very dangerous practise," he said.
"Even a low impact, low speed collision would have caused serious injury, it could have been devastating."
RoadSafe Central Victoria road safety officer Malcolm Pollitt said there was no excuse for driving around with unrestrained children in a vehicle.
"Children do not understand the consequences of not wearing seatbelts so it is the adults responsibility," he said.
"If a person is in a car without a seatbelt and is driving at 60km/h and runs into something, say a pole, the car will stop but an unrestrained person will continue to travel at 60km/h.
"It will lead to serious injury, if it's child they have not chance at all."
The woman's vehicle was impounded and she will be charged on summons for driving without a licence and five counts of failing to ensure her passengers were wearing seatbelts.
The woman will appear at the Bendigo Magistrates' Court at a later date.