Senators unanimously passed the Motor Car Amendment Act, which makes it illegal for a person or business to import oversized cars.

Government Senator Wayne Caines, who presented the legislation to the Senate, said the legislation seeks to prohibit the importation of oversized and modified vehicles.

" The legislation defines what an oversized car is and then defines what altering a car is. What was happening is that people were bringing in oversized cars and in order to meet the specifics of the road they were either taking off the bumpers in the front and the back, effectively altering the cars so that they could fit on Bermuda's roads," he explained.

Sen. Caines encouraged the Senate to support the Bill, which he said would benefit the motoring public.

He said: "In the design process of any vehicle the manufacturers spend countless hours on research and testing to ensure that the vehicles meet the highest safety standards. These standards are then used as a marketing tool to attract consumers.

"To allow the importation of oversized or modified vehicles would expose motorists to serious injury or death in the result of an accident."

Any person who imports an oversized car in contravention of the Bill would be forced to forfeit the vehicle.