Boyracers laugh at police, MPs told

Boy racers laugh in the face of police because of the weak punishments for criminal behaviour, MPs were told today.

Changes to the law intended to crack down on anti-social behaviour of large groups of young drivers did not go far enough, Police Association spokesman Derek Erasmus told Parliament's transport select committee.

The biggest problem in terms of public safety and policing was the inadequacy of penalties for drivers who failed to stop for police and drove away.

The Government is proposing to double the fine from $10,000 to $20,000 plus a mandatory three-month licence suspension for a second offence, or a first offence involving speed.

Mr Erasmus said the reality was that the courts imposed fines of around $100 to $200 and these were just added to the "library of fines" of many involved in illegal street racing.

Boy racers also knew that in many cases police would not maintain high speed pursuit, "basically they are laughing in our faces," Mr Erasmus said.

The association wanted a first offence of failing to stop to be punishable with a mandatory licence suspension of three months, and a 28-day impoundment of the car involved.

Mr Erasmus said there are also needed to be similar punishments for those who refused to say who was driving a car that had failed to stop or driven dangerously.

Raising the fine for this from $10,000 to $20,000 would not change the courts from imposing much lower fines.

The effect of the law would be to encourage boy racers to drive away from the police and make it worthwhile for the owner of the car to deny driving, or saying who was.

The association also supported compulsory third party car insurance as insurers would make it more expensive for young drivers with modified cars and those with dangerous cars.

The select committee was considering two bills:

* Police Minister Judith Collins' Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure Bill, which amongst other things would give the courts the power to send cars owned by repeat offenders to the crusher; and

* Transport Minister Steven Joyce's Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill which would strengthen the laws around illegal street racing, allow by-laws to be made to stop noisy cars cruising and give police authority to take them off the streets for instant metered tests.

NZPA