Tara Murray
Brimbank Highway patrol officers are cracking down on hoon drivers, amid a recent rise in hoon meets.
Senior Constable Aymon Dalrymple said there had been a recent increase in hoon behaviour, with police now attending hoon meets multiple times a week.
He said they were expecting to be called to jobs where there are 60 to 80 vehicles in attendance.
“It’s unfortunate, it is expected now.”
Last week, two serious accidents occurred not far from a hoon meets.
Leading Senior Constable Rod Hudson and Senior Constable Dalrymple, who were both on duty, said they were surprised that the two collisions didn’t end in fatalities.
The first accident occurred in Kings Park, Delahey, with the vehicle ending up wrapped around a pole.
A female passenger was left with life threatening injuries after being ejected from the car.
The second accident occurred on the Western Ring Road in Sunshine.
Investigators were told four vehicles were observed racing near the Furlong Road on ramp about 11pm.
The cars split up on the Western Ring Road and a short time later one of the cars, a black Holden Commodore sedan, collided into the back of a vehicle travelling on the same road.
The four occupants of the Commodore, a female and three males, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two of them were ejected from the car.
Senior Constable Dalrymple said they believed both accidents were hoon related.
“Both were high speed crashes, with drivers who we call inexperienced drivers as they have less than 10 years experience,” he said.
“Seatbelts seem to be an issue too.”
Leading Senior Constable Hudson said that 15 minutes before the first car crashed into the pole, there was a gathering in the Derrimut-Laverton area.
“There were 150-plus cars, with about three people per car, you’re looking at 450-500 people who turned up.
“Highway patrol was out in force. The car in the second accident was on the freeway and appeared to be heading towards Derrimut as well.”
Leading Senior Constable Hudson and Senior Constable Dalrymple said police were cracking down on hoon driving across the state and had a significant database on the cars that attended hoon events.
Senior Constable Dalrymple said those who attend hoon meets in Brimbank can be fined $800 under council laws on top of police offences.
