THE POLICE CAN IMPOUND (CONFISCATE) YOUR CAR The vehicle you are driving will be impounded if you are caught driving when: OFFENCES - you have been disqualified
- your driver licence has been suspended or revoked
- you don't hold a licence, or your licence has expired, and you have been forbidden to drive by a police officer until you have obtained or renewed your licence.
RACING & HOONING Your vehicle can be impounded if you are racing (eg, drag racing) or performing 'street car stunts' (eg, wheel spins); or if you commit a drink drive offence and have two previous drink drive convictions in the last four years. You will be given an impoundment notice by the Police, who will call for a tow truck to take the vehicle away to a storage facility. You will have to pay the towing and storage fees before you can get the vehicle back. The period of impoundment is 28 days. After that is finished, you have 10 days in which to claim the vehicle and pay the fees (or make arrangements to pay the fees). If the vehicle was impounded because you were racing or doing street car stunts, you must get a new warrant of fitness before the vehicle may be driven again. This means you have to take the vehicle straight from the storage facility to a garage or testing station for a warrant of fitness inspection. What happens if the driver isn't the owner? Vehicle owners have an obligation to ensure that only licensed drivers use their vehicles, and that drivers use their vehicles responsibly. However, there are some circumstances where vehicle owners can appeal against roadside vehicle impoundment. Appeals? You can make an appeal only on the grounds that:
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