New Territory laws passed to strengthen penalties for drink and drug driving and hooning offences.
Changes deliver on feedback from Police and consultation with road safety and legal representatives.
Finocchiaro CLP Government backing Police with stronger powers to keep Territorians safe.
The Finocchiaro CLP Government has today passed new laws giving Police stronger powers and courts tougher penalties to tackle drink and drug driving and hooning on Territory roads.
Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure Bill Yan said the reforms were a direct result of feedback from frontline Police and consultation with automotive, road safety and legal representatives.
"We have listened to the Police enforcing these laws and consulted with peak bodies across the road safety and legal sectors," Minister Yan said.
"The overall message was loud and clear about our need to crack down on dangerous behaviour and make our roads safer.
"These new laws back our Police with stronger powers and send a clear message: if you drink or drug drive, or put lives at risk by hooning, there will be serious consequences."
Under the changes:
Police will have the ability to conduct passive roadside breath tests using a handheld device to screen for the presence of alcohol.A new combined offence will target drivers detected with both a high-range blood alcohol concentration and drugs in their system, carrying stronger penalties.Motorists found to be high range drink or high range drink and drug driving for a second time will have their vehicle impounded for 14 days.Dangerous driving, driving at a dangerous speed and dangerous driving in pursuit offences will be added to a new tier of serious hooning offences.Vehicles involved in serious hooning offences will be immediately impounded for seven days for a first offence, 14 days for a second and 28 days for a third.Interstate drink and drug driving offences will also count as prior offences under NT law.
The reforms support the Towards Zero Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2028 here, which was developed to improve road safety for Territorians.
"Every Territorian deserves to get home safely. These reforms are about preventing dangerous behaviour before another family receives devastating news.
"And with these new laws drink and drug driving offenders can no longer cross the border and leave their poor driving history behind," Minister Yan said.
The introduction of passive roadside breath testing addresses the plan's recommendation to increase random breath testing for alcohol on Territory roads.
Between 2012 and 2021, an average of 40 people lost their lives and around 470 people suffered serious injuries on Territory roads each year.
Alcohol was involved in at least 41 per cent of fatalities and at least 27 per cent of serious injuries over that period, making it the most significant contributing factor to road crashes in the Territory.
"Community safety is our number one priority, including safety on our roads, which is everyone's responsibility," Minister Yan said.
