The man's car has been impounded for 28 days and his licence set to be suspended. Photo: RNZ / Richard Tindiller
An 18-year old Christchurch man is facing dangerous driving charges following a "crazy, idiotic display of speed" south of the city earlier this week.
Christchurch Highway Patrol constable Scott Agnew was issuing a ticket on the Southern Motorway when a Holden Commodore "screamed past" at about 1pm on Tuesday, driving at more than 200 km/h.
"It was an absolutely crazy, idiotic speed," he said.
"There are a lot of people on that motorway at 1pm on a weekday; a crash at that speed would have been catastrophic."
Police later found two witnesses yelling at the driver as he checked a damaged wheel in a Rolleston car park.
"This was a horrendous speed, putting other road users at extreme risk," Agnew said.
"He's very lucky, as are all the other people who were on that road with him.
"As a driver, the decisions you make impact not only you and those in your vehicle, but everyone else on the road around you."
The man has been summonsed to appear in court on a charge of dangerous driving, with his car impounded for 28 days and his licence set to be suspended.
A police spokesperson would not say what speed he was travelling at out of fear of copycat behaviour.
"People will try and beat it, believe it or not."