Crush threat for cars

Friday, July 30, 2010

District hoon drivers are being warned: behave or you could have your vehicle crushed.

Four years after anti-hoon laws were introduced in Victoria, further legislation will soon be introduced into the parliament to help police sell or crush hoon drivers' forfeited cars.

According to Police Minister Bob Cameron, Victoria Police have taken more than 11,370 hoon drivers off the road by impounding their cars in the past four years.

``Any car that is unfit for the road and fits the penalty criteria will be crushed, with others that are fit to drive sold and the proceeds directed towards victims of crime,'' Mr Cameron said.

The most common makes of car impounded by Victoria Police are Holden (46.3 per cent), Ford (16.7 per cent), Nissan (7.8 per cent), Toyota (5.1 per cent) and Honda (4.3 per cent).

Police crushed the Holden Commodore of a 22-year-old serial hoon driver from Hamilton who had recorded three hoon driving offences, owned his car outright and was considered a public danger on the roads.

Deputy Commissioner (Road Policing) Ken Lay said vehicles which have an acceptable safety rating would continue to be sold.

``This is not only about sending a message to hoons, it is about creating safer roads,'' Mr Lay said.

``If we permanently seize a vehicle that is not of a high safety standard, in that it doesn't have features such as ABS brakes and airbags, I cannot in good conscience send that vehicle back into the community.''

The additional powers will extend the period of impoundment for a first offence from 48 hours to seven days, introduce a mandatory period of immobilisation or impoundment of 28 days for a second offence and give police the powers to immobilise cars by fitting a steering wheel lock.

In the past four years, Bendigo has the highest number of hoon impoundments (435), followed by Broadmeadows (394). Shepparton is ranked the fifth most popular hoon suburb.

``Serial hoon drivers pose a serious threat to law-abiding road users. If they can't learn to use their cars in a safe and responsible way, then we'll take it off them,'' Mr Cameron said.