Kiwis register cars as hearses

Kiwis register cars as hearses

New Zealanders have been registering their cars as hearses to get out of paying full road tax.

It came to light when a Christchurch woman told a radio station she had paid just £19 to register her car, instead of the usual £60.

She had registered it as a "non-commercial hearse" that would be used to carry dead animals.

The woman's definition of carrying dead animals was taking frozen chickens home from the supermarket.

Other listeners then called NewstalkZB to say they had done the same.

Andy Knackstedt, a spokesman for the government body in charge of land transport funding, warned motorists they were acting illegally.

"The definition of a hearse is a vehicle used to convey coffins, not groceries," he said.

"People are committing an offence when they do this and could be putting their insurance policy in jeopardy," he said.