Hoon drivers turn residential streets of Mount Gambier into racetrack destroying roundabout

A neighbourhood fears someone will be killed as hoons wreak havoc on suburban streets but dragsters argue a dedicated track would take the risky stunts off-road.

A residential estate has been turned into a raceway drift track as “idiots of the road” tear through streets doing burnouts and skids.

Hoon activity fluctuates in Mount Gambier but officer in charge of the Limestone Coast Superintendent Campbell Hill said it had recently hit the accelerator.

“We’ll see a real heightened period of really just, idiotic driving — and I feel that we’re in the midst of one of those peaks at the moment,” Supt Hill said.

“There seems to be an element of our community that just want to engage in really poor road use, reckless driving and what effectively is criminal behaviour on the road.”

Concrete at the Conroe Dr and Bluebell Rd roundabout was recently smashed when a driver lost control and struck the triangular island.

Nearby resident Shannon Irvine said hoons were turning the street outside her home into a raceway. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Living just across the road from the damaged roundabout, Shannon Irvine said cars screamed along the street every Friday and Saturday night and she worried for her family’s safety while they use the adjacent park.

“From about 10pm onward it’s a raceway through here — (with) burnouts around the roundabout,” Ms Irvine said.

“You would have noticed the broken concrete … I’m just waiting for them to probably hit a wall at some point.

A hoon driver damaged the Conroe Dr and Bluebell Rd roundabout smashing up the surrounding concrete infrastructure. Picture: Arj Ganesan

“I’ve four grown children and two grandchildren and that park is a favourite place of theirs to kick the football.”

Simone Cowley, another nearby resident, fears hoon drivers’ risky behaviour put the neighbourhood in danger.

“It is a big issue … and it’s not safe for anyone — imagine if they did it and a bloody kid was walking on the road and they killed him,” Mr Cowley said.

Nearby resident Simon Cowley fears for the safety of children in the area. Picture: Arj Ganesan

Mr Cowley wasn’t home when the roundabout was damaged but when he returned found it had been “completely smashed” with debris strewn over the road.

Supt Hill called on the public to help police stop dangerous drivers.

“People in the community who want to help us make our roads safer … work with us and provide us information that’ll get us that bit further in the fight against what is just ridiculous road use,” he said.

Officer in charge of the Limestone Coast Superintendent Campbell Hill. Picture: Jessica Ball

Superintendent Robert Gray, who is in charge of SA Police’s Traffic Services Branch said there was no excuse for reckless and dangerous driving and ‘hoons’ would not be tolerated.

“People who choose to drive their vehicle in a way that blatantly disregards their own safety, and importantly, the safety of other road users, deserve to be heavily penalised,” Supt Gray said.

However, others argue a dedicated space and track in Mount Gambier would allow drifters and dragsters to safely practice.

Kartanya Martinez, who used to do burnouts and skids when she was younger, believes a purpose built track and investment into automotive industries and apprenticeships would help the problem.

Kartanya Martinez wants to see a space created for people to do burnouts and skids safely. Picture: Arj Ganesan

“We shouldn’t be treating young ones as delinquents or using stereotypical names to label them,” Ms Martinez said.

“The real issue is there’s not enough being done to address a community’s vast and diverse interests.

“I think that (it) could be utilised to create employment, to create skills and most importantly have a safe environment where people can go.”