KEY POINTS:
Police say they are disappointed at the high number of offences committed by boy racers stopped during a blitz in Lower Hutt overnight.
The five-hour operation ended at 2am and involved police from throughout the Hutt Valley, Highway Patrol and Wellington District's Traffic Alcohol Group, Courts Collections Unit staff, Land Transport New Zealand vehicle and driver compliance unit officers and the local road safety coordinator.
Sergeant Tim Crum, head of the Lower Hutt Road Policing Group, said of the 854 vehicles stopped 97 had infringement notices issued for speed, seatbelts, driver licence breaches and other offences.
Fourteen vehicles were ordered off the road due to vehicle defects or they were unsafe.
One person would be prosecuted for drink-driving, recorded at nearly twice the legal level - the third or more drinking driving prosecution for the driver.
Another driver had his licence suspended and seven vehicles were impounded by the Collections Unit resulting in $25,482 in outstanding fines warrants executed - $330 in outstanding fines paid by credit card.
Mr Crum said police were disappointed at the overall offending rates detected last night.
"It's fair to say all agencies have issues with boy racer activity," he said.
He said police and other road safety partners were concerned that many of the young drivers put themselves and others at risk by their behaviour.
"They also rack up the costs through fines, default on payment, breach their graduated driver licences or operate illegally modified vehicles."
"We've spent several months planning this operation. We've run similar in the past and will continue to run more in the future."
- NZPA
