PRACTICE AREA
Hoon Offences
Victorian law takes hoon offences very seriously and in many cases, police will impound your vehicle for up to thirty days for a first-time offence. For others, your car or motorbike may only be impounded if it has been subject to two hoon offences within a six-year period.
If you have been charged with two hoon offences within six years, police can apply to keep your vehicle impounded for an additional three months, or even forfeit the vehicle altogether. In such cases, it is crucial to consult a traffic law expert to help.
What counts as a hoon offence?
As mentioned, there are two types of hoon offences. The first, which results in the immediate seizure of your vehicle, includes things like:
- Driving while unlicensed, disqualified, or suspended
- Driving +45km/h over the speed limit
- Failing to stop when directed by police
- Failing to properly control the vehicle
- Participating in a speed race
- Purposely making excessive noise or skidding the vehicle
- Drink driving (BAC 0.10 or above)
- Disobeying tram/train stop lights
- Having more passengers than seat belts in a vehicle
- Crashing into a police car or other emergency service vehicle purposefully or due to carelessness
The second, where your vehicle is only seized after committing two offences in six years, includes things like:
- Drug driving
- Drink driving (BAC <0.10)
- Drink driving as a P-plater, taxi driver, or on a zero-BAC license