Victoria’s Anti-Hoon Legislation and policing methods used to prevent hooning behaviour.

The Victoria Police (VicPol) has developed a range of strategies and enforcement programs to target individuals and groups who persist in driving vehicles in a manner that creates unnecessary risk to other road users. This group, typically referred to as ‘hoons’, tend to perform organised illegal street racing activities in vehicles that are often defective and unroadworthy.
This paper will provide an overview of the provisions of Victoria’s Anti-Hoon Legislation introduced on 1 July 2006 and subsequent extension of offences covered by impoundment legislation. A statistical summary demonstrates the extent and severity of the hooning problem in Victoria. The effectiveness of the VicPol response to enforcement and targeting of anti-social driving behaviour motivating behaviour change will also be outlined.
VicPol has introduced a State wide Hoon Hotline Crime Stoppers model to deal with antisocial drivers. This has provided an ability to record and monitor ‘hooning’ complaints made by members of the community on the Hoon Hotline Database. The effectiveness of the Hoon Hotline Database in monitoring anti-social driving behaviour, otherwise known as ‘hooning’ will be outlined. This will enable delegates to examine the suitability of Victoria’s response to hoon-related driving behaviour for application in their own jurisdiction.