Råkøyring has become an increasing trend, according to the police. During the summer, there have been several cases of rough driving around the country, what the Evacuation Police (UP) call “wild man driving”. Events this weekend are an example of the same. On the night of Sunday, the police stopped an 18-year-old who was driving at 170 km/h, another 18-year-old who was measured at 179 km/h and a man in his 20s who was driving at 240 km/h. All were taken in the same area on Romerike within an hour. The 20-year-old had, in addition to a co-passenger in the front seat, two minor children in the back seat. They are supposed to be related to the driver, but he is not their father. The car driver is now without a driver’s license, and reported to the police for both reckless driving and for not stopping for the police, who had to use a nail mat to stop the car. The police are taking the case very seriously. Will be able to confiscate the car Høgre now wants the Ministry of Justice to pick up speed in order to curb the speed of rough drivers. – UP is crystal clear that they need stronger remedies. The Minister of Justice must listen to them, Sveinung Stensland (H), representative in the Justice Committee at the Storting. The photo, taken from UP’s car, shows how cars block the E18 ahead of a race from Lier to Drammen in June this year. Photo: The police In June UP said that they thought Norway should consider introducing a similar piece of legislation as they have in Denmark, to remedy reckless driving. Here, the police can confiscate the car if the driver drives 100 km/h too fast or twice as fast as the speed limit dictates. They can also claim the car if the driver has more than two in the alcohol limit. – We have an environment that doesn’t care about either a prison sentence or having their driver’s license revoked. Villmannskøring is a conscious act, UP chief Knut Smedsrud told news in June. The proposal is now under consideration by the Ministry of Justice. Stensland in Høgre says they will follow up on this proposal in the Storting, if the government does not do anything. – The government is concerned that it should be safe to travel on Norwegian roads. All forms of reckless driving must be cracked down on, says State Secretary Geir Indrefjord (Sp) in the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness has obtained input from UP and the Norwegian Police Directorate in connection with the question of new regulations for impounding cars and is now considering the proposal in consultation with the Ministry of Transport. – I would like to underline that even today you are met with strict sanctions when you drive irresponsibly. It is possible to confiscate vehicles even with the current regulations, confiscate driver’s licenses and sentence to prison terms and heavy fines. I remind you that the government has a zero vision for those killed and seriously injured in traffic, says Indrefjord. Located in today’s legislation Although the legislation as of today allows the police to confiscate a car that has, for example, been used in racing, Stensland believes that this law must be more pointed and have a touch of automaticity. – Drivers should know that if they drive over a certain speed, the police can confiscate the car, says Stensland. Last August, the Asker, Bærum and Ringerike District Court ruled that the police could confiscate the car of a 20-year-old who was racing. The sentence was based on § 69 of the Criminal Code, which gives the police the opportunity to confiscate objects or travel items that have been used in criminal acts. Storting representative and member of the Justice Committee, Kamzy Gunaratnam (Ap), believes that it is the practice and not the legislation that needs to be strengthened. – We would therefore rather strengthen the use of the existing legislation, and see how it works before looking at new restrictions, says Gunaratnam to news. Storting representative and member of the Justice Committee, Kamzy Gunaratnam (Ap). Photo: Martin Holvik – It is important to use discretion Several of the members of the Justice Committee at the Storting are in favor of stricter legislation, such as in Denmark. – We want the threshold to be able to be lowered at extremely high speeds, such as 200 km/h, but it is important to use discretion and have exceptions, says representative in the Justice Committee Tor André Johnsen (Frp). SV believes confiscation of a car can be an effective punishment for serious speeding offenses that put their own lives and others’ lives in danger. Storting representative for SV and member of the Justice Committee at the Storting, Andreas Sjalg Unneland. Photo: Olav Døvik – Taking away someone’s car or motorbike is an invasive measure, but should be a remedy when someone has put their life in danger by using the road as a playground, he says. They therefore both want to use the current legislation for confiscation more, and for the rules to be expanded.
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Høgre wants progress in the tightening of laws on wild-man driving – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
