NEW VEHICLE CONFISCATION LAWS COME INTO FORCE TODAY
Published Sunday, 01 July, 2007 at 06:00 AM
Minister for Police and Corrective Services
The Honourable Judy Spence
Police Minister Judy Spence has warned drivers police can now confiscate vehicles for a range of offences and ask for proof of age from passengers in cars driven by provisional licence holders, under strict new laws which come into power today.
“The Beattie Government is determined to reduce Queensland’s road toll and that’s why we’ve introduced these new vehicle confiscation laws to take those drivers who repeatedly break the rules off the road,” Ms Spence.
“Police can now confiscate the vehicles of drivers who repeatedly drink drive, drive while unlicensed, unregistered or disqualified or repeatedly drive illegally modified vehicles,” Ms Spence said.
“Police detected 44, 701 of these offences in 2005/06 with 30, 621 people caught drink driving and 12 303 caught driving while disqualified.
“The new laws will provide a strong deterrent to drivers who repeatedly break the law.
“Anyone committing these offences twice in 3 years will have their car impounded for 48 hours. If they commit a third offence, they risk losing their vehicle for three months and serial offenders will permanently lose their car.
“Offenders will have to pay for the storage of their car while it is confiscated and this could cost up to $2000 for three months on top of any penalty imposed by the courts.
“The new laws will be trialed in the North Coast and Southern police regions, which historically have the highest number of fatalities in the state, from July 1.
“I have also asked police the begin preparing for their introduction in the South Eastern region, which includes the Gold Coast, in the next six months.”
Ms Spence said new laws are also being introduced today which restrict drivers with provisional licences from carrying more than one passenger under the age of 21 years, between 11 PM and 5 AM.
“To enforce these laws, from today police are allowed to ask the age of passengers of provisional licence holders to determine if they are carrying more than one person under 21 years of age.”
“If drivers are caught with more than one passenger under 21 years in their car during these hours they will be fined.
“Young people aged 17-24 years made up 25% of the number of people killed on Queensland roads last year. By limiting the number of young people in each vehicle hopefully we can reduce that figure.
“Drivers on a provisional licence must be aware it is their responsibility to ensure they are carrying only one passenger under 21 years at night, with the exception of family members.
“Police will not hesitate to enforce these new laws, to help reduce the road toll in Queensland and keep repeat offenders off our roads,” Ms Spence said.
Media Contact: Troy Davies 0439 673 287
“The Beattie Government is determined to reduce Queensland’s road toll and that’s why we’ve introduced these new vehicle confiscation laws to take those drivers who repeatedly break the rules off the road,” Ms Spence.
“Police can now confiscate the vehicles of drivers who repeatedly drink drive, drive while unlicensed, unregistered or disqualified or repeatedly drive illegally modified vehicles,” Ms Spence said.
“Police detected 44, 701 of these offences in 2005/06 with 30, 621 people caught drink driving and 12 303 caught driving while disqualified.
“The new laws will provide a strong deterrent to drivers who repeatedly break the law.
“Anyone committing these offences twice in 3 years will have their car impounded for 48 hours. If they commit a third offence, they risk losing their vehicle for three months and serial offenders will permanently lose their car.
“Offenders will have to pay for the storage of their car while it is confiscated and this could cost up to $2000 for three months on top of any penalty imposed by the courts.
“The new laws will be trialed in the North Coast and Southern police regions, which historically have the highest number of fatalities in the state, from July 1.
“I have also asked police the begin preparing for their introduction in the South Eastern region, which includes the Gold Coast, in the next six months.”
Ms Spence said new laws are also being introduced today which restrict drivers with provisional licences from carrying more than one passenger under the age of 21 years, between 11 PM and 5 AM.
“To enforce these laws, from today police are allowed to ask the age of passengers of provisional licence holders to determine if they are carrying more than one person under 21 years of age.”
“If drivers are caught with more than one passenger under 21 years in their car during these hours they will be fined.
“Young people aged 17-24 years made up 25% of the number of people killed on Queensland roads last year. By limiting the number of young people in each vehicle hopefully we can reduce that figure.
“Drivers on a provisional licence must be aware it is their responsibility to ensure they are carrying only one passenger under 21 years at night, with the exception of family members.
“Police will not hesitate to enforce these new laws, to help reduce the road toll in Queensland and keep repeat offenders off our roads,” Ms Spence said.
Media Contact: Troy Davies 0439 673 287