The Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure Bill gives courts the power to send cars owned by repeat offenders to the crusher.
Police Minister Judith Collins said the bill would also toughen provisions for the seizure of motor vehicles for unpaid fines and strengthen the courts’ powers to confiscate motor vehicles.
“This bill will hit boy racers where it hurts – by targeting their vehicles.”
Low value cars that were used to commit offences and incur fines would also be seized so they could not be used to commit more offences, she said.
Collins said it would a “wee while” before the first car was crushed.
“They’ve got to offend three times in four years… serious offences.
“Our estimates are there will be 10 cars crushed a year. Hopefully they will get the message and we won’t have to crush anyway.”
The Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill which passed last night also aims to crack down on boy racers by giving councils the authority to make bylaws to prohibit cruising – defined in the bill as repeated circling of the same section of road in a manner that draws attention to the power or noise of a vehicle.
