Hoons and repeat dangerous drivers will lose their vehicles for seven days – which is up from the current period of two days – for their first offence (type 1 offence) under changes to be made to the State’s vehicle impoundment laws.
Those caught for a second time (type 2 offence) will lose their vehicle for 28 days (previously 48 hours) – with police able to apply to the court for up to three months impoundment.
Legislation will be amended to allow different types of type 2 offences to be counted cumulatively, rather than the current situation where repeat offences have to be the same type of offences, such as continual driving of an unregistered vehicle to fall within the scope of the legislation.
Almost 28,000 vehicles have been impounded since laws were introduced in 2002, with 30 percent of offenders going on to re-offend, and 330 having their vehicles removed permanently.
The changes are expected to be passed in Parliament at the end of the year.
