New Penalties
New Penalties
Hows this for news... I think it is about time the Government got tough
Drastic measures to punish hoons
HOONS and speeding drivers will be slugged with some of Australia's toughest penalties - including vehicles being impounded for up to six months and a doubling of fines.
The WA Government is about to unveil a raft of drastic measures - including targeting drivers with passengers not wearing seatbelts and those driving while talking on hand-held mobile phones - designed to stop a repeat of last year's record 235 road deaths.
Under the proposed new laws, police will have powers to automatically impound vehicles involved in hooning offences for seven days for a first offence, and 28 days for second and subsequent offences - a dramatic increase on the current 48-hour period.
Police are still able to apply to the courts to impound vehicles for up to three months for a second offence, and potential confiscation for subsequent ones.
In both hoon and road-rage offences, courts will be able to impound vehicles for up to six months if a police application for confiscation is unsuccessful, an option not currently available.
Penalties will be heavily increased for drivers who speed by more than 20km/h.
This includes those driving light vehicles who speed by 30-39km/h getting a hefty $700 fine - double the current $350.
Drivers of heavy vehicles who speed by 30-39km/h will be fined $850, a huge increase on the current $500.
Drivers charged with reckless driving, which includes speeding by 45km/h or more, face $2000 fines for a first offence, double the current $1000.
They face a $3000 fine for a second offence and a $4000 fine for subsequent offences, up from $1200 and $2400, respectively.
Drivers will be fined for any passengers not wearing seatbelts, not only for those under 16 years of age.
A driver not wearing a seatbelt and who also has one unrestrained passenger, faces a $600 fine and six demerit points.
This rises to $900 and nine points for those transporting four or more unrestrained passengers.
Passengers over the age of 16 who don't wear seatbelts are still subject to $500 fines.
Those who drive while chatting on hand-held phones will get a $250 fine, more than double the current $100.
The definition of road-rage circumstances will also be changed to include incidents occurring in places other than a road, such as car parks, driveways and private property.
A WA Government insider said some of the measures, such as new speeding penalties, would be effective within a month.
Others, such as the new hoon laws, would require a change in legislation and would be introduced to State Parliament when it resumes later this month.
The source said the new measures were in direct response to last year's horror road toll and community outrage at the continued inexcusable behaviour of some drivers.
"When people get behind the wheel of a car, they have to take responsibility for their own actions,'' the source said.
"Most drivers in WA already abide by the law and have nothing to fear from these new penalties.
"However, there are still drivers who refuse to take the road safety message seriously, continue to flout the law and, in doing so, endanger the lives of themselves, their passengers and other road users every time they get behind the wheel.
"Those people are now going to face tougher penalties.''
The source said since the Government's anti-hoon laws came into effect in September 2004, about 1937 vehicles had been impounded.
And 27 drivers had been charged with a second hoon offence, while two drivers were charged a third time.
"The low numbers of second and third-time offences suggest the hoon laws are deterring repeat offences'' the source said.
Drastic measures to punish hoons
HOONS and speeding drivers will be slugged with some of Australia's toughest penalties - including vehicles being impounded for up to six months and a doubling of fines.
The WA Government is about to unveil a raft of drastic measures - including targeting drivers with passengers not wearing seatbelts and those driving while talking on hand-held mobile phones - designed to stop a repeat of last year's record 235 road deaths.
Under the proposed new laws, police will have powers to automatically impound vehicles involved in hooning offences for seven days for a first offence, and 28 days for second and subsequent offences - a dramatic increase on the current 48-hour period.
Police are still able to apply to the courts to impound vehicles for up to three months for a second offence, and potential confiscation for subsequent ones.
In both hoon and road-rage offences, courts will be able to impound vehicles for up to six months if a police application for confiscation is unsuccessful, an option not currently available.
Penalties will be heavily increased for drivers who speed by more than 20km/h.
This includes those driving light vehicles who speed by 30-39km/h getting a hefty $700 fine - double the current $350.
Drivers of heavy vehicles who speed by 30-39km/h will be fined $850, a huge increase on the current $500.
Drivers charged with reckless driving, which includes speeding by 45km/h or more, face $2000 fines for a first offence, double the current $1000.
They face a $3000 fine for a second offence and a $4000 fine for subsequent offences, up from $1200 and $2400, respectively.
Drivers will be fined for any passengers not wearing seatbelts, not only for those under 16 years of age.
A driver not wearing a seatbelt and who also has one unrestrained passenger, faces a $600 fine and six demerit points.
This rises to $900 and nine points for those transporting four or more unrestrained passengers.
Passengers over the age of 16 who don't wear seatbelts are still subject to $500 fines.
Those who drive while chatting on hand-held phones will get a $250 fine, more than double the current $100.
The definition of road-rage circumstances will also be changed to include incidents occurring in places other than a road, such as car parks, driveways and private property.
A WA Government insider said some of the measures, such as new speeding penalties, would be effective within a month.
Others, such as the new hoon laws, would require a change in legislation and would be introduced to State Parliament when it resumes later this month.
The source said the new measures were in direct response to last year's horror road toll and community outrage at the continued inexcusable behaviour of some drivers.
"When people get behind the wheel of a car, they have to take responsibility for their own actions,'' the source said.
"Most drivers in WA already abide by the law and have nothing to fear from these new penalties.
"However, there are still drivers who refuse to take the road safety message seriously, continue to flout the law and, in doing so, endanger the lives of themselves, their passengers and other road users every time they get behind the wheel.
"Those people are now going to face tougher penalties.''
The source said since the Government's anti-hoon laws came into effect in September 2004, about 1937 vehicles had been impounded.
And 27 drivers had been charged with a second hoon offence, while two drivers were charged a third time.
"The low numbers of second and third-time offences suggest the hoon laws are deterring repeat offences'' the source said.
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or luckily getting away with it.
I'm up for that, I get annoyed when people are on their mobiles without a hands free!
Can they also impose a nice fat fine for throwing cigarette butts out the car window! $1000, 800 for littering and 200 for potentially causing a fire!
I'm up for that, I get annoyed when people are on their mobiles without a hands free!
Can they also impose a nice fat fine for throwing cigarette butts out the car window! $1000, 800 for littering and 200 for potentially causing a fire!
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I agree with that too, more out there, you're going to catch them more...if someone repeats 3 times confiscate their car and donate it to FESA for Road Accident Rescue training...I'm sure they wouldn't mind practising on a skyline or lancer every now and thenBonez wrote:More cops on the road...
Oops, forgot that it's not only the police who can't get staff...
But seriously, those cops who are currently out on the beat are doing a fantastic job, there just is not enough of them!
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Mate if I knew that I wouldn't be sitting here at my computer at 12.15am..WPXZBP wrote:Like what?Ludacris wrote:Something else needs to be done..
But yes the best solution would be more cops on the road, but that isn'y going to happen....
"If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got"
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Re: New Penalties
The majority of people obey the law simply because it's the right thing to do and have momentary lapses of concentration or sense. On the other hand, the sort of people who are busted for a 3rd offence hooning charge or for speeding 45km/hr over the speed limit twice or three times are the sort who have no regard for the law and drive according to how likely it is that they think they'll be caught.Genesis wrote: Drastic measures to punish hoons
HOONS and speeding drivers will be slugged with some of Australia's toughest penalties - including vehicles being impounded for up to six months and a doubling of fines.
The solution is to increase the likelyhood they will be caught. We need a greater presence of marked traffic cars and police on the roads to discourage and fine dangerous driving, excess speeding, road rage and such.
"Speed" is the scapegoat because it's easy to enforce with cameras. Not to say that excessive speed isn't dangerous but it gives the impression that you can drive any way you feel like on the roads - just do it slowly.
The government can increase the fines all they want, there's going to be no point to it if there aren't the police on the roads to enforce them.
Last edited by vk6hgr on Sun Feb 03, 2008 12:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Yup. Same results as the attempt to tie car horsepower and driving record to insurance premiums. At a certain point, people will just say, "stuff it. it's too expensive to get insurance so I'll just drive without it".Ludacris wrote:Seems there will be more and more people unable to pay fines.... There for more and more people driving without licences..
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I have to say the police do let you off. To start off im 17 and on P plates of course. I work in the canning vale industrial area and finished work at 9.30 (usally 8.30 but we had new system in so took forever) and i was pissed off and wanted to get home, so i took the steet out of work speeding (usally do and still do because u can see any cars coming/ behind you) and i pulled into the major road at a bit higher speed than you would, but i made sure it was clear and everything. Once into street wasent paying much attention got up into 85-90 in 70 zone and then went woops speeding, put foot on brake and slowed down.
Next minute (after i had slowed down) a unmarked police car pulled up behind me (still to this day i was wondering where he came from cause there were no cars around) and he pulled me over checked my licence and then asked the question "Did you know why you got pulled over" so i explained why etc. and he understood (he was a detective) and knew the place were i worked and said he was in the area cause of the lots of burglaries that happen and he said drive safe and dont speed and hes like you can go.
I have to say i usally obey the speed or a bit over (5km/h) depending on area. But i dont see the point of going 10km/h> and greater over the speed limit if i want to do that i go to a country airfield and go out first thing in the morning up and down the runway (using radio to listin and spotters).
Next minute (after i had slowed down) a unmarked police car pulled up behind me (still to this day i was wondering where he came from cause there were no cars around) and he pulled me over checked my licence and then asked the question "Did you know why you got pulled over" so i explained why etc. and he understood (he was a detective) and knew the place were i worked and said he was in the area cause of the lots of burglaries that happen and he said drive safe and dont speed and hes like you can go.
I have to say i usally obey the speed or a bit over (5km/h) depending on area. But i dont see the point of going 10km/h> and greater over the speed limit if i want to do that i go to a country airfield and go out first thing in the morning up and down the runway (using radio to listin and spotters).
I'm calling bullshit until I see some real news on this.
This is the kind of thing that would just result in more people running from the cops, why not make the fines for speeding $4000 flat? It's another perfectly reasonable arbitrary number afterall. There's a great number of roads out there with speed limits drastically low, modern vehicles on decent highway roads are certainly more than capable of maintaining 130kph safely, but that could land me a fine of several hundred bucks? Stuff that noise.
This is the kind of thing that would just result in more people running from the cops, why not make the fines for speeding $4000 flat? It's another perfectly reasonable arbitrary number afterall. There's a great number of roads out there with speed limits drastically low, modern vehicles on decent highway roads are certainly more than capable of maintaining 130kph safely, but that could land me a fine of several hundred bucks? Stuff that noise.
Perhaps we can start a forum here on suggestions on how to combat Hoons, anti social behaviour and road safety matters. Then compile the best ones together and we take them to our respective local MP's and provide petitions and paperwork for them to put to Government.
I guess by now that everybody is aware that moves are afoot to have speed limits on roads such as Canning Highway reduced to 50 kmh and smaller suburban streets to 40 kmh. "p' platers have 3 or less demerit points, 'l' drivers to do 50 hours practice before getting their 'p' plates etc..
I think the Authorities have lost the plot and can only see $$$$$ and fines as a way to combat the idiots and low life that make it hard for us all. Perhaps true suggestions from the frontline taken all the way to the top are the answers.
I guess by now that everybody is aware that moves are afoot to have speed limits on roads such as Canning Highway reduced to 50 kmh and smaller suburban streets to 40 kmh. "p' platers have 3 or less demerit points, 'l' drivers to do 50 hours practice before getting their 'p' plates etc..
I think the Authorities have lost the plot and can only see $$$$$ and fines as a way to combat the idiots and low life that make it hard for us all. Perhaps true suggestions from the frontline taken all the way to the top are the answers.
We need tougher restrictions. You cant expect people to slow down voluntarily.Genesis wrote:Perhaps we can start a forum here on suggestions on how to combat Hoons, anti social behaviour and road safety matters. Then compile the best ones together and we take them to our respective local MP's and provide petitions and paperwork for them to put to Government.
I guess by now that everybody is aware that moves are afoot to have speed limits on roads such as Canning Highway reduced to 50 kmh and smaller suburban streets to 40 kmh. "p' platers have 3 or less demerit points, 'l' drivers to do 50 hours practice before getting their 'p' plates etc..
I think the Authorities have lost the plot and can only see $$$$$ and fines as a way to combat the idiots and low life that make it hard for us all. Perhaps true suggestions from the frontline taken all the way to the top are the answers.
What other penalties would work? Prison? Community Service might be an answer then people have to put back and also face a loss in their personal income.
A lot of people are not capable of handling that speed safely. Especially because our roads do leave a lot to be desired.Cameron wrote:There's a great number of roads out there with speed limits drastically low, modern vehicles on decent highway roads are certainly more than capable of maintaining 130kph safely...
A lot of people can't even do 50kph safely, so how long do you think we should cater to the retard crowd that can barely tie their own shoes without hurting themselves?WPXZBP wrote:A lot of people are not capable of handling that speed safely. Especially because our roads do leave a lot to be desired.
I'm a regular guy, I pay my taxes, I pay my rates, I work and look after my wife. I don't do anything to try and make anybody elses life hard, but if I'm out in the car or on the bike on a highway in the middle of nowhere and I open the taps, all of a sudden I'm public enemy number 1? There's no balance in these "hoon" laws at all.
Notice there's been no increase in drink driving punishments? State MP's would sure hate not being able to drive home out of their minds after "work"...