ILLEGALLY modified vehicles will be targeted as part of a police crack down on hooning drivers in the Jimboomba area.
Jimboomba Police officers are being trained to recognise illegal modifications as part of a new strategy to eradicate hoon activity on local streets.
Jimboomba Police Senior Constable Ian Phillips said illegal modifications were directly linked to road crash statistics.
He said the practice threatened the lives of all road users and would not be tolerated in the community.
“Hoons will illegally modify their cars, they will cut springs, remove bolts and leave things loose fitting which is a safety concern to all road users,” Senior Constable Phillips said.
“It is a factor that contributes to road trauma as well as the manner in which they are driving.”
He said police would be trained to recognise modifications that “weren’t obvious to the eye”.
“We are taking more of a focused look at the mechanics of the vehicle, is it correctly modified, does it comply with the Australian design rules, is it safe,” he said.
“If it isn’t then we are taking action (including) issuing a traffic infringement notice, or a notice to appear, or even a type two illegal modification offence to have the vehicle towed.
“We are taking firm actions to correct driver’s behaviours.”
Jimboomba Police Acting Senior Sergeant Geoff Douglas said the renewed police crack down on hoons was partly in response a new strategy being employed by hooning drivers locally.
“They are really switched on now, when they want to do something they’ll have friends in cars around… to look out for the police and warn each other,” he said.
“They want to make it harder to catch them in the act… to get around that, we will pull their cars over and go over their cars in terms of modifications they’ve made.”
Senior Constable Phillips said as part of the strategy, police would also be running patrols on lower traffic roads in the region.
“These people are looking more towards side roads to engage in these anti-social behaviours, which have lower volumes of traffic,” he said.
“We are seeing (such activity) in certain areas such as Bluff Road in Cedar Vale… in Munruben, Mundoolun and Greenbank.”
He said hoons should expect to be caught anywhere, any time.
“These are people who have a total disregard for road safety,” he said.
“We are serious about reducing road trauma, we are serious about saving lives, we won’t tolerate it.”
Senior Constable Phillips said the public could assist police by reporting hooning drivers to the Hoon Hotline 13 HOON or the Jimboomba Police Station on 5547 9888.
He said police were not looking to target car enthusiasts who had modified their vehicles legally.
