September 19th, 2024
Imagine this: it's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and you're on the road with your family, heading towards a well-deserved weekend getaway. Suddenly, your peaceful drive is disrupted by a speeding car, the driver recklessly swerving and attempting to evade a pursuing police car. The fear and uncertainty hits you, the innocent bystander in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game.
To tackle this growing menace and to safeguard innocent lives, the New Zealand Government is taking a stand. Justice and Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan announced new measures on Tuesday, under the Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Bill, that will significantly tighten the net around reckless drivers who attempt to evade law enforcement, ensuring safer roads for everyone.
The Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Bill, soon to be discussed in Parliament, proposes to empower the police to seize and impound a vehicle for up to six months if the driver fails to stop. Additionally, the bill would permit the police to impound a vehicle if the registered owner fails to divulge information about a fleeing driver when the action is crucial to prevent a threat to road safety.
"Fleeing drivers put innocent lives at risk every day. Those who recklessly attempt to evade the law need to be held to account, and we’re ensuring there are increased and serious consequences for this behaviour," Allan explained.
This legislation is also set to lengthen the period of license disqualification from 12 months to anywhere between 12 and 24 months following a second conviction for a failing to stop offence. Furthermore, courts will be allowed to order the forfeiture of a vehicle upon conviction for a similar offence.
Allan asserted that these new measures aim to send a clear message that drivers, vehicle owners, or people obstructing police's work will face severe consequences.
"The Bill proposes to take vehicles off people for up to six months and imposes greater punishments for people who flee police. It also removes the protection currently afforded to the owners of the vehicle if the offender is driving someone else’s car," she added.
The measures supplement the Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Bill passed in March, which broadened the array of offences for which police can seize and impound vehicles, including cars and motorbikes.
Ginny Andersen, Police Minister, assured that the legislation, in conjunction with the police's forthcoming new framework for decision-making regarding pursuits, would reinforce the message that fleeing drivers are likely to be caught and punished.
"We are giving police the resources, the legislation, and the tools to keep these dangerous drivers off our roads," she said.
The proposed bill also includes a safeguard for vehicle owners, stating that owners who can demonstrate their car was stolen at the time of impounding will be entitled to reclaim it.
This legislation is part of a wider effort to address crime, particularly youth offending. According to recent statistics, these measures appear to be effective, with 82% of children referred to the Kotahi te Whakaaro programme not reoffending.
The Land Transport (Road Safety) Amendment Bill is set for its first reading soon and is expected to be passed before the upcoming election.