Police welcomed the new bills announced today which they believe will help close the loopholes around illegal street racing.
"These bills will provide a comprehensive suite of powers for Police and local authorities to tackle the ongoing problems around illegal street racing that occur in varying measure around the country," said Assistant Commissioner (Operations) Viv Rickard today.
"The new laws will be especially welcome in Canterbury where the problems continue to take up an enormous amount of Police time and cause considerable on-going problems for the community.
We believe this new legislation will make a significant difference to the problem and send a strong signal to specific parts of the community that illegal street racing will not be tolerated."
The new laws will target a relatively small part of the community and for responsible drivers, nothing will change. However, all vehicle owners, parents and young people need to take note of the proposed new laws and take action to make all drivers aware that they have a responsibility to use vehicles in a way that is respectful of others.
The Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure Bill aims to take the worst offenders off the road by taking away their vehicle permanently but crushing cars would be a last resort for only the most serious of repeat offenders.
The Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure Bill will:
* Allow vehicles to be seized and destroyed as a new penalty for illegal street racing.
* Allow vehicles repeatedly used by people with overdue traffic fines to be sold to pay those fines
* Clarify legislation so vehicles can be confiscated by the Courts from an impoundment yard.
The Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill will:
* Allow local authorities to create bylaws that prevent vehicles cruising city streets
* Allow the compulsory impoundment of vehicles involved in illegal street racing
* Contain tougher penalties for noise offences, failure to give driver details, licence breaches and registration plate offences.
"Police will follow the passage of the new legislation with interest and once passed will seek to incorporate the new provisions into our road policing enforcement strategies and tactics. We hope this will go some way to making everyone safer and to rid the streets of New Zealand of this modern day scourge" said Assistant Commissioner Rickard.
ENDS
For further information contact:
Lesley Wallis, Communications Manager, Road Policing 04 474 7111
Superintendent Dave Cliff, Canterbury District Commander, 03 363 7905