Prahran Highway Patrol officers have hoon drivers firmly in their sights ahead of summer, having pulled over 400 vehicles during a recent blitz to test for roadworthiness.
The blitz - which ran across four nights in October and this month - saw a collective 259 defect notices issued to drivers in hoon hotspots in St Kilda, Prahran and Windsor.
Vehicles suspected of being illegally modified were pulled over by local highway police and inspected by mechanics from the Department of Transport and Planning.
Police also targeted driving offences including drug and alcohol impairment.
Last weekend alone, 215 drivers were breath tested, while more than 140 vehicles were defected for issues ranging from faulty headlights and ineffective seatbelts to illegally modified engines, suspension and exhausts.
The latest instalment of the blitz resulted in:
- 215 vehicles intercepted
- 142 defects issued
- Three vehicles grounded due to a severe safety issue
- 215 random breath tests conducted
- 24 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) issued; six of which were for major vehicle safety defects, as well as:
- One drug driver caught
- One P-Plate driver allegedly caught drink driving
- Four drivers caught not complying with registration standards
- Four drivers/riders caught driving unregistered vehicles
- Two vehicles failing to meet ground clearance
Of note:
- An 18-year-old man allegedly drove a lowered Ford Falcon with oversized wheels from Shepparton to Chapel Street, with the tyres so large, they were rubbing against the wheel arches and continuously losing so much tread, they were unroadworthy. The vehicle was immediately grounded, and the driver was issued with an $814 fine for driving an unsafe vehicle. The driver will also have to fork out the expense of having his car towed from the inspection site.
- A 31-year-old man had his Subaru WRX towed due to serious concerns after modifying the suspension, with fears it would fail under the weight of the vehicle.
- Two Commodores decked out in Christmas lights were pulled over and told to immediately remove the bright decorations, and the drivers were issued with defect notices. Under Australian Design Rules, vehicles on public roadways need to comply with lighting rules, which includes only white lights at the front and red at the back, with orange indicators.
Police will continue to target hoons and run highly visible operations to ensure road safety, with a reminder that this can be anytime, anywhere.
Quotes attributable to Prahran Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Wilson Brown:
"Local Highway Patrol officers have intercepted 400 vehicles over just four evenings in key hotspots where we know hoons are likely to attend over the warmer months.
"Drivers who modify their vehicle without the appropriate engineering and sign off can expect to be pulled over by us, and they can expect a costly fine for having an unsafe vehicle.
"Some drivers spend thousands and thousands of dollars illegally modifying their car, only to be fined by us. The expense of that, on top of having to make your car roadworthy again should be deterrent in the first place.
"These operations are ongoing, and we will continue to target all unsafe drivers and vehicles on local roads."
