Dangerous drivers are to be targeted earlier as part of new legislation being introduced in Victoria.
Minister for Police Anthony Carbines has introduced the Justice Legislation Amendment (Police and Other Matters) Bill into the Victorian Parliament which will deliver a suite of reforms aimed at keeping the community safe.
The Bill introduces new circumstances in which police can deploy vehicle immobilising devices (VIDs) such as road spikes and stop sticks to intervene to prevent and stop dangerous drivers earlier on.
Currently police can only deploy a VID when they are trying to prevent a driver from escaping custody, avoiding arrest and stopping a moving vehicle in limited circumstances.
The new powers will allow police to pre-emptively deploy VIDs where they have reasonable suspicion that a vehicle is a risk to the safety of the driver, a passenger, a police officer or another person.
“Our police do critical life-saving work each and every day and these reforms provide additional tools they can use to better protect us and themselves in the line of duty,” said Minister for Police Anthony Carbines.
