A bystander was hit by a vehicle doing skids at a boy racer event in Hawke’s Bay over the weekend.
Officers impounded one car, issued several infringements, and removed several vehicles from the road when they embarked on a crackdown on antisocial road users in the region.
Police said “a large number” of boy racers were out and about in Hawke’s Bay over the weekend, predominantly on Friday night, with some groups stopped on Saturday night.
At one event, a bystander was struck by a vehicle doing skids.
“While no serious injuries were reported, it was an extremely close call, and enquiries are ongoing,” Inspector Angela Hallett said.
Multiple people were issued infringements for breaching learner and restricted licence conditions at a checkpoint in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“These breaches carry the penalty of demerit points and fines, which jeopardises an individual’s continued holding of a driver’s licence,” Hallett said.
Several unsafe or defective vehicles were issued pink or green stickers and ordered off the road until they got a new WOF or COF.
One vehicle was impounded after police discovered the diver was disqualified.
False number plates were sized from one vehicle, and its driver was issued an infringement.
Police said that following the events, roads were damaged, with debris scattered across some.
“Antisocial road user behaviour is extremely dangerous to those involved, their spectators, and other road users,” Hallett said.
“These drivers are often young people who are still living in their family homes with parents.
“We ask that parents or those known to them to have conversations with your young people about this activity before it gets to a point where Police need to take enforcement action, or worse, where actions result in injury or death.
“Overall, we want to see a stop to this behaviour.”