In an effort to deter dangerous driving on public roads, the Queensland Government in Australia has introduced some of the harshest anti-hoon laws ever targeting not only drivers but spectators as well. Under these new laws, participating in any hooning event, from illegal street races to tire-shredding burnouts, is a criminal offense, and this includes encouraging others to watch or participate in such activities.
The Queensland Police have defined hooning as a range of dangerous and reckless behaviors behind the wheel, including street racing, speeding, burnouts, blasting music, and even drinking while driving. If you engage in any of these activities, you could be reported by a fellow Queenslander and face serious legal consequences. And it’s not just the drivers who are at risk – anyone organizing, promoting, watching, photographing, or filming these activities could also be penalized.
• It will be an offence to participate in or be a spectator at a group hooning activity
• It will be an offence to organise, promote or encourage others to participate or be a spectator at a group hooning activity
• It will be an offence to possess items such as false number plates
• This will include the filming or photographing of hooning for the above purposes.
Read: Indiana Police Arrest 40, Recover Over 80 Stolen Cars From Dangerous ‘Spinning Events’
The new anti-hoon laws in Queensland don’t just target dangerous driving on public roads, they also ban possession of items like false number plates and spare tires used in group hooning events. The state’s laws were already the toughest in the country, and now they’ve become even stricter with additional legislation passed by parliament.
After the announcement of the new laws, Queensland Police Minister, Mark Ryan, commented: “If you want to tear up our roads, we’ll tear up your car…If you behave in an anti-social manner and put the lives of others and yourself at risk you will be targeted relentlessly by police Life is precious. Too many lives are lost on our roads. Hooning will not be tolerated”.
According to Drive.com.au, spectators caught participating in hooning activities can face fines of up to AU$6,000 (equal to around US$4,000). However, for hoon drivers, the consequences can be much more severe, including impoundment or forfeiture of their motor vehicles, loss of their driver’s license, and up to one year in jail. Car owners who attempt to evade responsibility by claiming they weren’t driving at the time of the offense will have to provide evidence to support their claim in court.
The Queensland Government’s Road Safety Strategy estimates that “road trauma” costs the state a whopping AU$6 billion (US$4 billion) – enough to buy a small island in the Pacific. Unfortunately, close to 15% of hospital admissions in 2020 were linked to traffic accidents, which it says cause “immeasurable” personal suffering. While the government has defended its anti-hoon policy using these stats, they haven’t disclosed how many crashes and fatalities were actually caused by hooning.