Wyndham hoons putting ‘lives at risk’, say police

Seventy-seven vehicles were impounded in Wyndham as a result of hoon driving in the first six months of 2014, according to police statistics.

While young drivers are widely considered the most likely to be hoons, the figures reveal that almost 65 per cent of the Wyndham offenders were 26 or older.

Only 13 of the 77 vehicles seized were from drivers aged 19 or younger, with most impounded vehicles being Holdens (22), followed by Fords (16) and Nissans (9).

RoadSafe Westgate Community Road Safety Council chairman Jim Giddings said plenty of people were still putting lives, including their own, at risk as a result of hoon driving.

“You only have to look at our streets and see the skid marks all over the road to see how much of a problem it is,” he said. “As a community, we need to take ownership of the problem and make sure we report hoon driving to police.”

Road policing assistant commisssioner Robert Hill said he was “taken aback” by the numbers of drivers caught breaking the law.

“People spend too much time leaving rubber on the road,” he said.

“I am staggered people of a mature age see that [hoon driving] as a pastime – a pastime they think is acceptable. Our tolerance level to that type of behaviour is very, very limited. We know the dangers these people pose on our roads.”

To report hoon driving, phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.