A police checkpoint north of Napier over the weekend. Photo / NZ Police
A police checkpoint north of Napier over the weekend. Photo / NZ Police
Some of a group of dozens of teenage drivers who had been terrorising rural road users with skids and burnouts in Hawke’s Bay drove right into a police checkpoint waiting for them on their way back home.
Eastern District road policing manager Inspector Angela Hallett said of the cars fullof mostly people aged 16 to 20 stopped on State Highway 2 just north of Napier about 1am on Sunday, there wasn’t one that hadn’t breached either car roadworthiness rules or driver licence standards.
They confiscated one car in advance and warned the parents of the region’s regular antisocial road users.
Hallett said it was a change of tack from police, who were concerned about the actions of a new group that has come onto the Hawke’s Bay car scene this year, and it had been useful.
“This has led to plenty of parents having a greater awareness of their teenagers’ weekend activities and the potential to influence them from participating.”
A car impounded by Hawke's Bay police ahead of a planned boy racer meeting.
Hallett said the policing of the weekend’s events had been a challenge at times, and there had been mixed results.
Intel from social media and other sources showed the group changed the main night of action from Saturday to Friday night with limited warning, just as several other crashes that required police attention occurred, Hallett said.
The group gathered at Mutiny Rd south of Hastings, State Highway 50 near Ngatarewa and Roys Hill, and near Havelock North on Thompson Rd, Lawn Rd and Te Mata Rd-Mangateretere Rd, where they did burnouts, blocked roads and in several cases let off fireworks.
In the case of a gathering on State Highway 2, north of Whirinaki, it was too dangerous for police to confront, so they set up a checkpoint further south and waited, Hallett said.
A large number of people were pinged at the checkpoint for breaching learner and restricted licence rules around passengers, and vehicles were given pink and green stickers.
One vehicle was impounded after its driver was found to be driving while disqualified, Hallett said.
Hallett said it was fortunate no one was injured by the weekend’s antics, but police had been sent footage of some concerning incidents and an investigation had been started as a result.
“To help police respond to, and curtail illegal and antisocial behaviour, members of the public are being asked to contact us when they see it happening.
“The community has reported several instances to us across the last few weeks, with increasing concern.
“I have personally heard from members of our community who have been impacted and shaken by this activity. My message to them is, we hear you and we are responding. Overall, we want the community to feel safe.
“Emergency services are all too aware of the consequences of this driving behaviour, including people getting seriously injured, but also the potential for someone to lose their life.
“A car can be an unpredictable thing when it’s being pushed to its limits, especially when it comes within mere inches of the spectators or those filming it.
“We will be targeting those engaged in skids and burnouts, but our enforcement action won’t be limited there. We will also be targeting those supporting this activity, such as those attending the events or attempting to conceal the driver’s identity.”
Boy racer activity such as skids and burnouts caused significant damage to the roading infrastructure and presents a risk to other road users and is costly to repair, she said.
“We also know that people and organisations are supporting this activity through supplying these drivers with tyres, often second-hand with marginal tread, and people towing vehicles to and from the scene.”
Hallett said where police could not take action on the night they would use information gathered to follow up later.
“We ask members of the public to report this behaviour to us but do not attempt to stop it or get close. Instead, stay inside your house if it is happening outside or hold back if you are driving through the area and report information from a distance.
“Please contact us on 111 if it is happening now or 105 either online or over the phone if it is after the fact.”
