QUEENSLAND’S WORST DRIVERS TO LOSE THEIR WHEELS
Published Monday, 30 October, 2006 at 04:17 PM
JOINT STATEMENT
Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Peter Beattie
Minister for Police and Corrective Services
The Honourable Judy Spence
Australia’s toughest new road safety laws will be introduced to State Parliament this week, which will strip Queensland’s worst drivers of their vehicles.
Premier Peter Beattie and Police Minister Judy Spence announced Cabinet had today approved the new laws, which will enable the confiscation of vehicles from rogue drivers who repeatedly drink drive or drive while unlicensed, unregistered or disqualified.
Mr Beattie said the groundbreaking new laws – which came out of the Queensland Road Safety Summit in February – showed how his government was leading the country with road safety initiatives.
“These laws are about making our roads safer by taking away the wheels of our most dangerous and irresponsible drivers,” Mr Beattie said.
“Once they take effect, drivers will be stripped of their vehicle if they continue to drink drive, or continue to drive whilst unregistered, unlicensed or disqualified.
“If a driver commits an offence twice in 3 years, police can impound their vehicle for 48 hours. If they commit a third offence, they risk losing their vehicle for three months.
“For serial offenders, a court may impose permanent forfeiture, in which their vehicle will be sold off and the proceeds will go into consolidated revenue.”
Mr Beattie said repeat offenders will have to foot the bill for towing and storage costs, which could cost up to $2000 for a three month confiscation.
He said today’s Cabinet decision followed a black weekend on the state’s roads in which five people lost their lives.
“Our road toll now stands at 269 deaths – seven more than the same time last year,” Mr Beattie said.
Mr Beattie said the new laws will be piloted for 12 months, starting 1 July 2007, in the Southern and North Coast Police Regions.
“These regions have been selected for the pilot as they have recorded some of the worst road fatalities this year,” Mr Beattie said.
“Already this year, 55 have been killed on roads in the Southern Police Region, which takes in the Toowoomba, Ipswich and Darling Downs areas.
“In the North Coast Police Region, which takes in the Sunshine Coast, Redcliffe, Maryborough and Bundaberg areas, 50 people have lost their lives this year.
“Because this is such ground-breaking legislation, we expect we may need to do some tinkering with the finer details of these new laws.
“We see this as being the most responsible way to introduce the legislation, by piloting it in the areas of most need, before we get it 100 percent right and introduce it statewide.”
Police Minister Judy Spence said that once the new laws take full effect, up to 20,000 cars could be impounded in the first year.
“Like our existing anti-hooning laws, these new laws will act as a deterrent to irresponsible drivers who continue to endanger people’s lives,” Ms Spence said.
“When you look at New Zealand, which introduced similar confiscation laws in 1999, the rate of disqualified and unlicensed drivers involved in crashes decreased from 5.8 percent to 3.9 per cent, and the rate of confiscations has dropped as the deterrent factor has sunk in.”
In another move to further increase road safety, Cabinet today also approved new laws that will ban people and companies from profiteering by alerting motorists to where police have set up traffic enforcement operations.
Ms Spence said this law was in response to a recent SMS RBT police alert system which set up in Queensland.
“We will not allow companies or individuals to make a quick buck by gambling with the lives of motorists,” Ms Spence said.
“To send SMS alerts to motorists, advising them where police have set up Random Breath Tests, is effectively promoting drink driving as it is telling drivers which roads to avoid on their way home.
“This is totally irresponsible, and will not be tolerated.
“This new law will enable police to prosecute those who seek to profit from broadcasting police operations such as RBTs.”
The maximum penalty will be a $7,500 fine for each offence.
Ms Spence said she will introduce the legislation to Parliament this week, and the new laws were expected to come into effect in the new year.
Today Cabinet also endorsed the ban of spray paint cans to people under the age of 18.
Mr Beattie said that under the new laws, anyone caught selling spray paint to anyone under 18 will be subject to an escalating penalty scheme, with a maximum fine of up to $31,500 for a third offence.
“This mirrors the same tough penalties that currently apply to anyone who sells tobacco to people under 18,” Mr Beattie said.
“Graffiti is an eyesore in our community and typically it is young people who engage in this activity.
“Unfortunately, spray paint is usually their weapon of choice and it costs our community millions of dollars a year.
“Sadly some young people also inhale chrome based spray paint, a practice known as chroming, which is incredibly dangerous and can cause serious health damage even death.
“These new laws will not only help prevent graffiti but it will also hopefully help save lives by further limiting the ability of kids to engage in chroming.”
Police Minister Judy Spence said under the Summary Offences Act 2005, anyone who sells chrome paint for the purpose of being ingested or inhaled faces a first offence fine of up to $1,875 or three months in prison and a second or other offence will result in a $3,750 fine or one year in jail.
“These new laws will make it even tougher by putting a blanket ban on sale to under 18s no matter what the intended purpose,” Ms Spence said.
“Police will also have the power to stop, detain and search persons and vehicles and seize property that may be evidence of the unlawful sale of spray paint cans to minors, and the unlawful possession of spray paint cans by anyone under 18 in a public place.”
October 30, 2006
Media contact: (07) 3224 4500
Premier Peter Beattie and Police Minister Judy Spence announced Cabinet had today approved the new laws, which will enable the confiscation of vehicles from rogue drivers who repeatedly drink drive or drive while unlicensed, unregistered or disqualified.
Mr Beattie said the groundbreaking new laws – which came out of the Queensland Road Safety Summit in February – showed how his government was leading the country with road safety initiatives.
“These laws are about making our roads safer by taking away the wheels of our most dangerous and irresponsible drivers,” Mr Beattie said.
“Once they take effect, drivers will be stripped of their vehicle if they continue to drink drive, or continue to drive whilst unregistered, unlicensed or disqualified.
“If a driver commits an offence twice in 3 years, police can impound their vehicle for 48 hours. If they commit a third offence, they risk losing their vehicle for three months.
“For serial offenders, a court may impose permanent forfeiture, in which their vehicle will be sold off and the proceeds will go into consolidated revenue.”
Mr Beattie said repeat offenders will have to foot the bill for towing and storage costs, which could cost up to $2000 for a three month confiscation.
He said today’s Cabinet decision followed a black weekend on the state’s roads in which five people lost their lives.
“Our road toll now stands at 269 deaths – seven more than the same time last year,” Mr Beattie said.
Mr Beattie said the new laws will be piloted for 12 months, starting 1 July 2007, in the Southern and North Coast Police Regions.
“These regions have been selected for the pilot as they have recorded some of the worst road fatalities this year,” Mr Beattie said.
“Already this year, 55 have been killed on roads in the Southern Police Region, which takes in the Toowoomba, Ipswich and Darling Downs areas.
“In the North Coast Police Region, which takes in the Sunshine Coast, Redcliffe, Maryborough and Bundaberg areas, 50 people have lost their lives this year.
“Because this is such ground-breaking legislation, we expect we may need to do some tinkering with the finer details of these new laws.
“We see this as being the most responsible way to introduce the legislation, by piloting it in the areas of most need, before we get it 100 percent right and introduce it statewide.”
Police Minister Judy Spence said that once the new laws take full effect, up to 20,000 cars could be impounded in the first year.
“Like our existing anti-hooning laws, these new laws will act as a deterrent to irresponsible drivers who continue to endanger people’s lives,” Ms Spence said.
“When you look at New Zealand, which introduced similar confiscation laws in 1999, the rate of disqualified and unlicensed drivers involved in crashes decreased from 5.8 percent to 3.9 per cent, and the rate of confiscations has dropped as the deterrent factor has sunk in.”
In another move to further increase road safety, Cabinet today also approved new laws that will ban people and companies from profiteering by alerting motorists to where police have set up traffic enforcement operations.
Ms Spence said this law was in response to a recent SMS RBT police alert system which set up in Queensland.
“We will not allow companies or individuals to make a quick buck by gambling with the lives of motorists,” Ms Spence said.
“To send SMS alerts to motorists, advising them where police have set up Random Breath Tests, is effectively promoting drink driving as it is telling drivers which roads to avoid on their way home.
“This is totally irresponsible, and will not be tolerated.
“This new law will enable police to prosecute those who seek to profit from broadcasting police operations such as RBTs.”
The maximum penalty will be a $7,500 fine for each offence.
Ms Spence said she will introduce the legislation to Parliament this week, and the new laws were expected to come into effect in the new year.
Today Cabinet also endorsed the ban of spray paint cans to people under the age of 18.
Mr Beattie said that under the new laws, anyone caught selling spray paint to anyone under 18 will be subject to an escalating penalty scheme, with a maximum fine of up to $31,500 for a third offence.
“This mirrors the same tough penalties that currently apply to anyone who sells tobacco to people under 18,” Mr Beattie said.
“Graffiti is an eyesore in our community and typically it is young people who engage in this activity.
“Unfortunately, spray paint is usually their weapon of choice and it costs our community millions of dollars a year.
“Sadly some young people also inhale chrome based spray paint, a practice known as chroming, which is incredibly dangerous and can cause serious health damage even death.
“These new laws will not only help prevent graffiti but it will also hopefully help save lives by further limiting the ability of kids to engage in chroming.”
Police Minister Judy Spence said under the Summary Offences Act 2005, anyone who sells chrome paint for the purpose of being ingested or inhaled faces a first offence fine of up to $1,875 or three months in prison and a second or other offence will result in a $3,750 fine or one year in jail.
“These new laws will make it even tougher by putting a blanket ban on sale to under 18s no matter what the intended purpose,” Ms Spence said.
“Police will also have the power to stop, detain and search persons and vehicles and seize property that may be evidence of the unlawful sale of spray paint cans to minors, and the unlawful possession of spray paint cans by anyone under 18 in a public place.”
October 30, 2006
Media contact: (07) 3224 4500