Hoon driving: what you can do about it

Hooning is dangerous and illegal behaviour. It not only puts drivers, pedestrians and other road users as risk, it can also ruin peaceful enjoyment of your neighbourhood.

What is hoon driving?

Hoon driving refers to dangerous and reckless driving behaviour that puts the public at risk. It can include:

• driving at dangerous speeds
• illegal street or drag racing or speed trials
• performing burnouts, doughnuts and other dangerous manoeuvres on public roads
• intentional loss of traction or drifting
• overloading a vehicle where there are more passengers than seat belts
• inciting, encouraging or organising any these

What can I do about hoon driving?

Report it when you see it

If you witness hoon driving, or know a hoon driver, you can anonymously report it to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Reports of hoon driving help Victoria Police target repeat offenders and focus on specific locations. So, if hoon driving is a problem in your neighbourhood, report it to Crime Stoppers when it occurs and get your neighbours to report it as well.

When you report hooning, provide the following information if you can:

• Type of hooning you observed – speeding, doing burnouts or doughnuts.
• Date and time it happened (or days and times if reporting multiple incidents).
• Street and suburb/town where it occurred.
• Description of vehicles involved – make, model, colour, rego number and any noticeable features such as bumper stickers or damage.
• Info about the driver – physical description and their name and address, if known.
• You can report the incident to the police, who have the authority to investigate and take appropriate action. In Victoria, you can contact the Police Assistance Line at 131 444 to report non-emergency incidents.

Put your own safety first

Avoid confronting or engaging with the drivers directly, as this can escalate the situation and put you at risk. Instead, focus on providing accurate information to police and Crime Stoppers.

Only take photos or videos of the hooning if you can do so safely. This evidence can be useful for police when investigating the matter.

Call emergency services if necessary

If you witness an immediate and serious threat to public safety, such as an accident or a situation that requires urgent intervention, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Support community initiatives

You can get involved in local road safety campaigns or community groups that aim to address hoon driving. These organisations often work collaboratively with local police and councils to raise awareness and promote safer driving practices.

Make an anonymous Crime Stoppers report online or call 1800 333 000.

What are police doing about hoon driving?

In February 2021 Victoria police launched Operation Achilles, to reduce the harm hoon driving causes. 

During the first 2 years of Operation Achilles, Victoria Police charged more than 360 hoon drivers with almost 3,000 offences and impounded 375 vehicles connected to intentional high-risk driving. There was also a 75% drop in organised hoon events between February 2022 and January 2023,

Anti-hoon laws were in introduced in Victoria 2006 and give police the power to impound, immobilise or permanently seize vehicles driven by people in a dangerous manner. This is on top of any fines, imprisonment or loss of licence the courts may impose on a person found guilty of a hoon driving offence.

What if the trouble I'm facing are bicycles and scooter-related?

Then, you can head on and find out more here at https://nhw.com.au/cars-and-vehicles/monkey-bikes-scooters-e-bikes/