Victoria Police will begin destroying hoon vehicles seized under hoon legislation in a bid to remove unsafe cars and motorcycles from the road. Under the current legislation, which was introduced four years ago this month, police are able to apply to the courts to permanently seize a vehicle which has been impounded three or more times.

In the past, these cars have been sold back into the community with funds injected into road safety initiatives.

Now, when a vehicle is deemed unroadworthy, unsafe or does not meet a minimum four star safety standard, it will be given to the State Emergency Service (SES) for training purposes before being destroyed.

Deputy Commissioner (Road Policing) Ken Lay said that vehicles which have an acceptable safety rating will continue to be sold. "This is not only about sending a message to hoons, it is about creating safer roads," Mr Lay said. "If we permanently seize a vehicle that is not of a high safety standard, in that it doesn't have features such as ABS brakes and airbags, I cannot in good conscience send that vehicle back into the community.

"This is about getting unsafe vehicles off the road and working to a higher standard of road safety across the state, while also sending a strong message to people who choose to hoon on our roads."

Decisions on which cars will be sold back to the community will take a number of factors into consideration, including the Used Car Safety Rating (UCSR) developed by Monash University Accident research Centre (MUARC) as well the condition of the vehicle and any modifications.

Mr Lay has also welcomed proposed changes to the hoon legislation which will see the period of vehicle impoundments extended and for a wider range of offences, including repeat offences of unlicensed driving, and alcohol-affected and drug drivers.

Under the proposal, first time hoon offenders could have their vehicle impounded or immobilised for a week, up from 48 hours, and second time offenders will face and impoundment of an immediate 28 days. Third time offenders face the likely chance they will lose their vehicle forever. The amendments will also allow police to immobilise cars by fitting a steering wheel lock.

"What we know is impounding hoon vehicles is having an impact," Mr Lay said. "These proposed changes provide a harsher penalty to dangerous drivers and act as a stronger deterrent against hoon behaviour."

Victoria Police also released statistics today which show that almost 11,500 vehicles have been impounded in the four years since hoon legislation was introduced. P-platers are over-represented in the figures, making up 40 per cent of all vehicles impounded, equating to more than 4500 vehicles.

Full licensed drivers make up 46 per cent (more than 5100 vehicles impounded), disqualified drivers six per cent, learner drivers four per cent, unlicensed drivers three per cent, and international license-holders one per cent. Young drivers, who accounted for 23 per cent of last year's road toll, have proved to be the biggest hoons with 59 per cent of all offending drivers aged between 18 and 25.

Suggestions that women are worse drivers than men could also be quashed with the statistics showing that men are also most likely to be the offending drivers, accounting for 97 per cent of all hoons. But the saying "with age comes wisdom" is accurate in this instance with just three percent of all hoons impounded being aged over 50.

Mr Lay said while it was pleasing that so many dangerous drivers had been taken off the road, he was most concerned at the number of young drivers' cars impounded.

"Hoon legislation has allowed us to get these people, who take risks, who do the wrong thing, who put others' lives in danger, off the road," Mr Lay said. "But there is a significant attitude problem among some of our drivers that needs to change before more lives are lost."

Almost 1000 motorcycles have been impounded, including one which was detected travelling 140 km/h in a 50 km/h zone near Portland in May this year. The bike belonged to a 20-year-old who had a disqualified license.

One motorcyclist had his bike impounded after being caught travelling 220 km/h in Werribee in June, 2007. "Driving at these speeds is reckless and stupid and these motorists don't deserve to be on the road."

Some motorists in Melbourne's western and northern suburbs and regional Victoria appear to still not get the message though, with St Albans, Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Mildura, Shepparton, Frankston, Mill Park, Craigieburn, Meadow Heights and Reservoir making up the top ten areas for hoons to reside.

"What people in these areas need to understand is that if they choose to act like a hoon, there's a very good chance they'll either end up impounded, in a collision, or dead," Mr Lay said.

"It's as simple as that."

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