Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
New legislation set to bring in harsher penalties for what the government calls "idiot" boy racers, has been introduced to Parliament.
Announced in May, the Anti-Social Road Use Legislation Amendment Bill will set up new offences and penalties for people driving dangerously, including costly infringement fees and making vehicle seizure or destruction more common for street racing, burnouts and fleeing police.
The bill defines "anti-social road users" as people who flee police, participate in unauthorised street racing, burnouts, intimidating convoys, disorderly dirt bike gatherings, or siren battles.
The bill is expected to receive its first reading in August.
In a statement, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says those who want to drive dangerously will face serious consequences.
"Kiwis are sick of seeing these idiot drivers putting everyone around them at risk, so we're taking action through a range of much tougher penalties," he said.
The bill would also give police more powers to manage illegal gatherings by closing roads or public areas, like infringements of $1000 for those who fail to leave areas when told to by police
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the additional powers would support to continue cracking down on illegal events.
"We have seen substantive responses to these illegal gatherings, including arrests, checkpoints, and other tactics to shut these events down. These gatherings are dangerous to the participants, to bystanders, and to the public," he said.
"Boy racers only care about one thing - their car. Once they realise they're not getting it back, they'll think twice about fleeing police or driving dangerously," Mitchell said.
"We have seen substantive responses to these illegal gatherings, including arrests, checkpoints, and other tactics to shut these events down. These gatherings are dangerous to the participants, to bystanders, and to the public."
An offender will be exempt from vehicle forfeiture or destruction if they do not own the car (unless they fail to provide information about a driver to police), if it would be "manifestly" unjust, or cause extreme hardship to the offender or undue hardship to someone else.
After its first reading, the bill will go through a four month Select Committee process including public consultation.
