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Old 04-11-2009, 08:33 AM
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LUVMBDiesels LUVMBDiesels is offline
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Police call for powers to crush hoon cars

"The Advertiser
April 11, 2009 12:01am

POLICE want hoon drivers to be treated as criminals, demanding mandatory jail terms and the power to seize and crush their "pride and joy".
South Australian Police Commissioner Mal Hyde says new laws should be drafted so hoon drivers convicted of dangerous driving for a second time can be sent to jail for at least three months for what he calls a "criminal, not traffic" offence.

Hoon drivers now lose their car the fourth time they are charged with dangerous driving - for just seven days, The Advertiser reports.

Mr Hyde says drivers have too many chances and present laws are not deterring hoons or street racers.

The Advertiser last month revealed a hardcore group of young drivers were regularly using major city roads as illegal drag strips.

A drag race on Magill Rd on March 28 ended in the death of Minh Bui, 23, when his Subaru WRX slammed into a Stobie pole.

It had reached speeds in excess of 150km/h and three others were seriously injured, including the other racer, Ricardo Rocha, 22, who had a leg severed.
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It was one of 10 fatal crashes in as many days, which claimed the lives of seven men aged under 28.

The state's road toll stands at 35, nine more than for the same time last year.

Releasing a list of proposed new laws to The Advertiser, Mr Hyde said the licences of hoon drivers should also be suspended immediately the first time they are charged with driving dangerously. He also wants discretionary powers taken out of the courts' hands.

"If (hoon drivers) come up a second time we think it should be mandatory forfeiture, no discretion," he said.

"We also think for a second occasion of dangerous driving there should be mandatory imprisonment for a minimum of three months.

"This should not be allowed to be suspended, no pussy-footing allowed. Imprisonment means imprisonment."

If legislation to crush seized cars is introduced it should be an administrative matter, bypassing the court, he said.

"It's about making a very strong signal and if that's about crushing their pride and joy (car), so be it."

Mr Hyde has written to Road Safety Minister Tom Koutsantonis calling for draft legislation to be prepared for Cabinet so police can protect the community from "criminal" drivers.

"Stop thinking about it as traffic offending, it's really criminal offending," Mr Hyde said.

"Initial" assessments of the 87 fatal crashes – 99 fatalities – in SA last year showed excessive speed or dangerous driving contributed in 25 smashes – 29 per cent. Three drivers had a previous conviction for dangerous driving, 13 had previously had their licence disqualified and eight had been arrested for driving while disqualified.

In 101 days this year, 35 people have died on the roads, including 18 people aged under 30. Mr Hyde said a pattern of repeat dangerous driving existed among drivers in fatal crashes.

"We should be able to suspend their licence immediately and they should need to go to a court to get a decision to get it back," he said. "Secondly, we should be able to seize their vehicles and . . . keep them until the court case."

Mr Hyde said drivers, especially those under 30 years, were ignoring constant warnings of the dangers of excess speed, drug and drink driving, inattention and refusing to wear a seatbelt.

"We have to send the message if you choose to drive dangerously, it's not going to be tolerated." Mr Hyde said. "We need to be careful of having this blame-free society that (drivers) don't have an intellect to make a choice; they do have an intellect to make a choice."

Mr Koutsantonis said he would consider Mr Hyde's request in "tough new measures" to be released soon, including:

RESTRICTING the use of high-powered vehicles.

PASSENGER limits and curfews for drivers returning from disqualification."


I am assuming these are "Fast and Furious" wannabes in hopped up ricers. I don't know if I like the idea of crushing their cars or the restrictions on high powered vehicles. If they get caught the cars should be impounded and auctioned off not crushed. I also think that restricting HP is a bad thing. What about the guy who buys a Holden Morano or a MB AMG anything? Will they have their engines dialed back to say 150HP?

And this is from the country that brought the world supercharged Falcons and Holdens?


What do our Aussie friends on Shopforum think about these proposals?
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