Aussies, apparently, are quite serious about their “anti-hooning” laws. “Hooning” is the term Australians use for the act of driving dangerously or anti-socially. This includes such behavior as speeding, street racing, making too much noise with a vehicle, or driving recklessly.

Under strict anti-hooning laws in the Australian state of Queensland, which to has the toughest anti-hooning laws of the country’s six states, first-time offenders caught drifting, performing donuts, or doing burn-outs risk having their cars impounded for up to 90 days. If caught hooning again within five years of the first offense, thrill-seeking drivers risk having their car confiscated and sold, or sent to the crusher to be disposed of. The legislation was intended to crack down on unsafe driving behavior, but also to reduce the amount of red tape and paperwork that police had to go through when dealing with reckless drivers, thereby allowing them to spend more time on patrol.

“Go too far, lose your car!”

And according to Australian news outlet Sunshine Coast Daily, earlier this month, police officers in Nambour, Queensland, witnessed a 46-year-old male at a stop light, performing a burn-out in his 1969 Pontiac Firebird. To make matters worse for the unidentified driver, this was his second offense in only a few weeks, and police were not amused, to say the least.

“It’s not just a burn-out, it’s a life-endangering activity,” Sunshine Coast Senior Sergeant Dave Nelson told the Sunshine Coast Daily. “If you lose control and hit someone, that person is being hit by a ton of steel and it can kill or hurt someone very badly,” Nelson said.

According to Nelson, the driver’s burn-out resulted in a sustained loss of traction, which means he did not have sufficient control of his car and potentially put innocent bystanders in harm’s way. “You cannot have sustained loss of traction and still have control of a vehicle. It just doesn’t work,” said Nelson. “They shouldn’t be allowed to put other people in danger because of their stupidity.”

Could the man’s classic Firebird, valued at nearly $45,000 (AUD), really be sent to the crusher? Queensland law allows it, however, it seems unlikely, as confiscated cars are first offered at auction before facing the crusher. Since the strict anti-hooning laws went into effect in Queensland approximately one year ago, the Sunshine Coast Daily reports that 127 cars have been impounded for 90-day periods, and perhaps fortunately, no cars have yet been subjected to the state’s mobile crushing unit.

If and when a situation reaches the point that a valuable or rare car is set to be destroyed, area lawyers expect the relatively new and still untested law to be challenged. Until then, some community members believe there’s a need for a dedicated area for car enthusiasts to stunt and legally enjoy their powerful machines. We tend to agree, but until such an area exists, we definitely don’t think burning some rubber is worth losing your car over… so be safe and drive within the legal limits!