Canterbury Traffic Police have been running an operation targeting boy racers over the last three weeks
"We were concentrating on the area of Christchurch of the four avenues including Deans and Harper Avenue," says Inspector Derek Erasmus. "Last weekend we emphasised drink driving and had two booze buses and lots of checkpoints in central. As a result we had 70 charged with drink driving offences."
Over the three weekends:
74 cars were seized, assisted by Courts, for unpaid fines
"A significant number, this has been very successful."
914 other drivers were prosecuted for other offences including:
193 for speed
197 for noise
184 for license breaches
22 arrested on other various charges
73 cars were ordered off the road as unsafe or for illegal modifications.
"Some members of the public and police have commented they have thought there have been fewer boy racers on the roads, "says Erasmus. "This could be due to the colder weather, the level of enforcement or the higher price of petrol but only time will tell if it is anything other than short term. We'll be continuing these operations over the coming weekends, particularly targeting noise."
The penalties for noisy vehicles change this week. Previously the fine was $250 with 10 demerit points. This will change to a $50 fine with 25 demerits.
"What makes the difference is getting cars removed for unpaid fines and demerit points," says Erasmus. "They build up demerit points quickly. For example a noisy vehicle may be stopped three times in a night which adds up to 75 points, not far to go to reach the 100 points over two years, at which point the driver is suspended and their car can be seized if they drive."
Of major concern to Inspector Erasmus was the number of drink drivers, remembering that most are not boy racers.
"Drinking drivers in the inner city is a continuing problem. In the main boy racers are not the problem here as they are not over the limit however their passengers often are which can cause problems," he says.