Leading Senior Constable Ian Whitehall is part of the Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol team tackling road accidents. 67235 Picture: Casey Neill
By Russell Bennett
SPEEDING hills drivers are being warned not to turn their cars into lethal weapons.
Yarra Ranges’ top traffic cops say roads in Healesville, Silvan, Gembrook, Montrose and Mount Evelyn are local hotspots for speeding hoon drivers.
But those caught now face losing their cars for 30 days – up from the previous two-day seizure – and police have not ruled out getting tougher still.
Under new Victorian hoon laws, which came into effect on 1 July, repeat offenders face losing their cars for a further three months, or even permanently.
Acting Sergeant Graeme Rust from Yarra Ranges Highway Patrol in Lilydale welcomed the move.
“They certainly are tough restrictions,” he said.
“But everyone is fair game – there’s no excuse for not knowing them.”
Sgt Rust told the Mail “a lot of people out there clearly weren’t abiding by the previous laws” and that restrictions could be tightened again if the changes didn’t lower the state’s road toll.
It sits at 160, three higher than at the same point last year.
He warned local drivers not to be complacent.
“Don’t turn your car from a means of transport into a lethal weapon,” he said.
The Yarra Ranges Police Service Area (PSA) is at number 15 in the state’s top hoon driving hot spots list.
“We have a few burnout offences,” Sgt Rust said.
“But our biggest issue is excessive speed.”
Sgt Rust said hoons were not just speeding on local highways and also listed Monbulk-Silvan Road, Mt Dandenong Tourist Road in Montrose, Hereford Road in Mount Evelyn, and Wellington Road in Belgrave South as trouble spots.
He said speeding while overtaking was a “huge concern”.
“People have to be aware that they can’t overtake on single white lines,” he said.
“If the person in front is only doing five kilometres-per-hour below the speed limit, you would obviously be speeding to overtake them and that’s against the law.
“There’s no law that says: ‘If I’m overtaking, I’m allowed to exceed the speed limit’.”
Sgt Rust said Highway Patrol officers even caught one driver travelling at 190 kilometres per hour in an 80 zone on the Maroondah Highway.
“High-end speed is just ridiculous,” he said.
“You only have to see some of the collisions we attend.
“If a person doesn’t die – they often suffer life-long disabilities.”
Sgt Rust said police were catching hoon drivers over the Black Spur, in Healesville, on Gembrook-Launching Place Road, and even on Mt Donna Buang.
“And offenders living within our area often offend outside it,” he said.
Sgt Rust said the costs for hoons to retrieve their cars would “sky rocket” with the increased 30 day penalties.
“And the transport issues are huge too,” he said.
“How are people going to get to and from work if they don’t have a car for 30 days?”
Police are urging local residents to dob in hoon drivers by calling 1800 333 000 or logging on to www.vic.crimestoppers.com.au.
