A Herald-Sun report has told how the Victorian State Government will introduce tougher ‘anti-hoon’ laws in an effort it says will deter so-called ‘hoon’ drivers.
The Government scrambled to make the announcement just three hours after the Opposition pledged to step up anti-hoon laws and allow for car crushing if it won office.
Under the proposal repeat offenders will have their cars crushed if a driver owns the car and has two previous offences for crimes such as exceeding the speed limit by 45km/h or more, drag racing, burnouts or dangerous driving.
The announcement comes as a reaction to a recent accident in the Melbourne suburb of Mill Park that saw five youths killed, with the Government saying current anti-hoon laws – which have seen almost 10,000 cars impounded – are not a strong enough deterrent.
TAC Minister Tim Holding said unroadworthy or heavily modified cars would be likely to be crushed or sold under a policy being developed by the Government.
He also said the Government would also look at increasing the impoundment time for first offences from 48 hours to a week.
The Opposition wants to sell parts of hoons’ cars before crushing the shells, with money going back into the system to make the program cost neutral.
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu said he would introduce laws under which a first ‘hooning’ offence meant cars were confiscated for thirty days.
The laws would also force hoons to undertake a safe driving course after a first offence. He accused the Government of knee-jerk policy announcements.
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