By Natasha Fujimoto
IT’S a sound that grates, annoys and even wakes during the middle of the night, but despite police and community efforts to stamp it out, hoon driving is not only a noisy problem but a deadly one. Falling under the umbrella term, high-risk driving, Shepparton Highway Patrol sergeant Janne Kennedy said that police were continuing to take both a proactive and reactive approach towards combating reckless driving in the region.
With the Shepparton Police Station receiving a high volume of complaints, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, sergeant Kennedy said that ‘hoon hotspots,’ such as Kialla Lakes were well known to police and received extra patrols consequently.
Nevertheless, despite police efforts to counteract high-risk driving, 111 offenders were processed by the courts last year in Greater Shepparton (the highest on record), resulting in vehicles being impounded and licences being suspended.
Noting the higher frequency of reckless driving post Covid, sergeant Kennedy said, “The police can only work within legislation, sending offenders to court to curb behaviour.
“It is a community-based issue, and it requires police, the courts, Council and community members to work together in addressing the problem by building awareness about the consequences associated with road trauma.
“Programs such as the Cool Heads Road Safety aim to educate young and inexperienced drivers, as well as offenders, and is confronting, but effective,” sergeant Kennedy said.
To find out more about the Cool Heads Road Safety program, where parents and young drivers are welcome to attend, head to www.greatershepparton.com.au/community/safety-and-wellbeing/community-safety/cool-heads.
