Disqualified or unlicensed drivers will now have their vehicles impounded, but Government is not sure where.

Presenting the bill yesterday, Senator Wayne Caines said there are 47,800 vehicles on the road and 1,850 of the cars remain unlicensed each year.

In the legislation that passed last night, the Police will now be able to seize the vehicle immediately if the driver fails to produce a license, insurance certificate or vehicle license.

Where the vehicles will be impounded or how they will be towed, however, has not been decided said Sen. Caines.

He said: "This is something to be considered. It's being worked out. The Government will not be buying tow trucks. We expect the private sector to be involved. Of course people will be upset (if they have to have their cars seized) but the ethos behind this is that they are breaking the law."

When impounding cars, officers will be required to give a notice of seizure to the driver and a separate copy to the owner where applicable.

Any owner who did not know the vehicle was being driven by somebody else would not be liable for the charges, but the unlicensed driver would be.

The only way to have the car, truck or other vehicle released would be to produce one of these documents and to pay the towing and impoundment charges, according to the Motor Car Amendment Bill 2008.

The Premier will be able to dispose of a vehicle if its release has not been requested within 60 days and must publish a notice in the Gazette after the first 30 days. Last night senators, however, questioned the need for this, with Senate President Alf Oughton saying he would have liked to see the cameras and other modes of cracking down on delinquent drivers given a chance.

He said: "I would have thought we had a sticker on our cars would have had at least an experimental stage. I would have liked to give that an opportunity to see what impact that had on the public."

And Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes said the previous Government had to drop similar legislation on bikes because there was a public outcry.

He said: "The government of the day had to back down because it was causing so much upset. I don't envy the first officer who has to impound a car. There could have been a stop measure before we took this one."