Two new Government Bills aim to give police, courts and local authorities greater powers to tackle illegal street-racing by boy racers, a move supported by police.
Southern District roading police manager Inspector Andrew Burns, of Dunedin, said police were "supportive of any legislation that makes the roads safer".
While illegal street-racing in Otago and Southland did not cause the same problems as in other metropolitan centres, it was still an ongoing issue for the public and for the police, Insp Burns said.
"We welcome anything that reduces trauma on the road."
The Vehicle Confiscation and Seizure Bill includes provisions to seize and destroy vehicles or allow vehicles to be sold to pay fines.
The Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill would allow local authorities to create bylaws to prevent boy racers from cruising city streets, allow cars to be impounded and impose tougher penalties for infringements, including noisy vehicles.
Police Minister Judith Collins said people convicted of three street-racing-related offences within four years could have their cars crushed.
"Every new offence will now bring them closer to the crusher. That is the message that we would like them to get."
Offenders and the owners of the cars would receive two written warnings before the cars were destroyed, Ms Collins said.
"This will give a great deal of comfort to finance companies, who might therefore decide whether they want to continue lending funding for the activities that we've described."
It would also encourage parents to find out what their cars were being used for, she said.
Confiscated cars were often sold to friends for a nominal amount to "avoid the full force of the law".
"Some of these cars, basically, will need to be crushed, because if you think about it, who buys a boy racer car at an auction except another boy racer?"
Transport Minister Steven Joyce said most street-racing activities were already illegal but "the penalties, in many cases, are not respected by offenders".
The Transport Bill focused on driver's licences and vehicles, because they were the things most valued by the people involved, Mr Joyce said.
Prime Minister John Key said he made no apologies for the Bills, which the Government hoped to pass into law by December .
"This Government and the public have run out of patience with illegal street racers," he said.
Labour said it would support the Bills through their first readings to the consultation stage, although law and order spokesman Clayton Cosgrove said they were no more than window-dressing.
"Current law allows courts to confiscate cars permanently now," he said.
"The Government concedes that confiscation is only happening now in about 2% of cases. What guarantee is there that courts will back up this legislation any more than they do current law?"
Reilly's Towage and Salvage manager Brian Lilley said about 60% of the boy-racer cars towed to the firm's Dunedin yard ended up crushed or dismantled.
Of unclaimed vehicles, only late-model cars were spared the crusher, he said.
Mr Lilley said he supported any move to get dangerous boy-racer cars off the road.
