Ashley Gardiner | August 18, 2008
FRUSTRATED motorists could dob in hoons using footage taken on their mobiles under a plan being considered by the Victorian state government.
Police Minister Bob Cameron said he would look at the proposal to widen the crackdown on hoons.
The plan would allow hundreds of thousands of Victorians to be the eyes and ears for police in stamping out hooning.
More than 5000 drivers have had their cars seized by the police since the introduction of anti-hoon laws in 2006.
The idea has been flagged in a survey being conducted for the Justice Department.
"We would, as part of our ongoing crackdown on hoon driving, consider this," said Mr Cameron's spokeswoman, Lidija Ivanovski.
The idea has also won the support of the State Opposition, with Liberal police spokesman Andrew McIntosh welcoming any idea to clamp down on hoons.
"Anything that protects the community from the scourge of hoon drivers, the Liberal Party would support," Mr McIntosh said.
But Mr McIntosh questioned whether the video footage would be useful in bringing hoons to justice.
"The evidentiary value of it may be negligible unless its integrity can be assured," Mr McIntosh said.
Hoons can be reported to Crime Stoppers, and more than 3000 reports have been made since this service was introduced in April.
Under anti-hoon laws, police can seize a car for 48 hours for a first offence and three months for a second.
Drivers caught a third time can lose their cars permanently. Hoon offences include doing burn-outs and fishtails, speeding by 45km/h or more over the limit, car racing and repeatedly driving while disqualified.
Of the thousands of cars seized, almost all (97.7 per cent) were driven by men.
Herald Sun