Hoon drivers face years in jail as part of new legislation cracking down on dangerous driving

The horrifying moment a hooning motorcyclist crashes into a truck is being used to highlight new legislation that would jail SA’s worst drivers. Warning: Graphic video.

Hoon drivers face jail sentences and increased licence disqualifications as part of proposed state government laws to crack down on South Australia’s most dangerous road users.

The anti-hoon Bill – to be introduced to parliament on Wednesday – will create a new offence of extreme speeding that targets motorists who travel significantly above the limit.

Authorities have also released confronting vision of a motorcyclist who filmed his 140km/h crash into the back of a stationary truck. The incident left him with permanent brain damage.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said the proposed laws recognised the risk of dangerous drivers turning effective forms of transport into lethal weapons.

“Hoons are a blight on our community who place little or no value on their lives or the lives of others,” Ms Chapman said.

Extreme speed will be defined as driving at 55km/h or more above the limit in a zone marked 60km/h or less, or 80km/h or more in a zone marked above 60km/h.

Drivers convicted of a first offence would face a maximum three years’ jail and a mandatory minimum two-year licence disqualification.

A subsequent offence would result in an increased licence disqualification period of five years.

Police also would have the ability to immediately revoke the licence of a driver who was reasonably believed to have committed the offence of extreme speed.

The maximum penalty for an aggravated offence would increase to five years for both jail sentences and licence disqualifications. These include:

■ Attempting to escape a police pursuit

■ Causing death or serious harm

■ Driving a stolen vehicle

■ Driving disqualified

■ Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol

■ Holding a provisional or probationary licence, a learner’s permit, or unlicensed

In addition, the vehicle involved also may be forfeited if is registered to the offending driver.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, who consulted with the state government on the Bill, said the proposed laws provided a stronger mechanism to deal with dangerous hoons.

“We’re also hopeful it acts as a deterrent and it makes people think twice before they engage in such stupid behaviour,” Mr Stevens said.

“There is zero capability to respond and react in the event that circumstances on the road change in a very short amount of time if you’re travelling at these speeds.

“The consequences of these type of behaviours have a devastating effect right across the community and people who experience those things live with them for the rest of their lives.”

The moment where a motorcyclist crashes into the back of a stationary truck at 140km/h. Picture: SA Police

The sickening crash video shows a motorcyclist reaching a staggering 267km/h as he weaves in and out of traffic on a busy metropolitan road at night earlier this year.

He is travelling at 140km/h when he smashes into the back of a stationary truck in the left lane. The road users whose lives he put at risk respond by calling an ambulance.

The rider was in a coma for two months and now has permanent brain damage. He is unable to communicate clearly and has two full-time carers.

Mr Stevens said the video highlighted the inherent risks of travelling at extreme speeds and was a timely reminder for road users to look after themselves and others.

“It’s abhorrent to see people thinking it’s OK to travel on our roads in that manner, he said.

“It’s one thing to put themselves at risk but the potential harm to innocent people using our roads finding they’re caught up in a situation that costs them their lives or puts them in hospital for months with life-changing injuries.

“It’s not just the person injured in the crash who has to deal with the consequences of this type of behaviour. It’s their family members and it’s the first responders.

“It’s the innocent witnesses who happen to observe this crash and respond in the first instance before emergency services arrive.

“This is not a re-enactment. These are not actors. This is real-life video of someone making incredibly stupid decisions on our road and paying a very high price for that.”

Road Safety Minister Vincent Tarzia described extreme speeding as “absolutely moronic” and warned the dangerous behaviour would not be tolerated.

“If you drive at these extreme speeds and you risk your own life and the lives of other road users you will be booking yourself a one-way ticket to jail,” Mr Tarzia said.

“Every time you get behind the wheel, think about your family, friends and loved ones. They need you to arrive home safely.”

The Advertiser in February revealed selfish and irresponsible hoon drivers were being caught at record levels endangering the lives of innocent South Australian motorists.

SA Police statistics showed 3174 drivers were caught travelling at least 30km/h above the limit – including 637 clocked speeding 45km/h or more – on the state’s roads last year.

Mr Stevens previously declared hoon drivers should be treated as major criminals and receive harsher penalties for endangering lives.

“I’d compare it to someone who fires a gun down Rundle Mall. We’d be taking severe action against those people, charging them with attempted murder or acting to endanger life,” he said.

His comments came after vision of a motorcyclist – who tested positive to methamphetamine – riding at 200km/h along the North South Motorway, Dry Creek, on February 1.

Originally published as Hoon drivers face years in jail as part of new legislation cracking down on dangerous driving