Hoon (road traffic)
Hoon is a term used in the Australian and New Zealand linguistic areas for vehicle drivers who display illegal or anti-social behavior in public traffic , which are often suitable for attracting the attention of passers-by or onlookers. While the name was initially only colloquial , it received increased attention from the media and authorities, which was reflected in special legislation in the 2000s .
Word origin
There are different theories about the exact origin of the word and its change in understanding over time. At the beginning of the 20th century the hoon had a different meaning in Australia: It stood for people who made a living immorally, for example through income from pimping . In the course of time, the meaning of the term changed, which today has achieved a semi-official status, among other things with the use by authorities in the so-called anti-hoon laws .
It is not only used as a noun , but also as a verb ("hooning").
meaning
A hoon , or someone who does hooning , describes an individual at the wheel or several occupants of a vehicle who display behavior in public traffic that is a violation of the law, is reckless or dangerous or is viewed as harassing in any other form. The usual violations include driving at excessive speed , burn-outs , drifting , accelerating with spinning tires or participating in illegal street races . In some cases, the focus is on motivation from the attention of passers-by or applause from groups of spectators.
The violations represent both a nuisance to the general public ( public order ) and a specific danger ( public safety ) through accidents. Most of the perpetrators identified are young men between 17 and 35 years of age.
Anti-Hoon Laws in Australia
Almost all Australian states began to pass new legislation around the turn of the millennium, which fit the behavior described by the term. The possibilities of police and security authorities have been expanded in order to obtain greater control against dangerous behavior in traffic. The measures , which vary from state to state, include heavy fines , driving license revocation , the temporary or permanent seizure of vehicles (even if the driver is not the vehicle owner) and imprisonment .
As a result of the measures, numerous vehicle confiscations and driving bans or the withdrawal of driving licenses have occurred across the country. The number of road deaths per 100,000 inhabitants fell from 9.49 deaths in 2000 to 5.3 deaths in 2016, which corresponds to a decrease of 44%. However, due to the multifactoriality (including improved vehicle safety), a causal relationship cannot be proven.
Individual evidence
- ^ Western Australia Police: Hoon driving. Retrieved April 14, 2017 (English).
- ^ Armstrong, Kerry A. & Steinhardt, Dale A.: Understanding street racing and 'hoon' culture: An exploratory investigation of perceptions and experiences. In: Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety, 17 (1), pp. 38-44. 2006, accessed April 14, 2017 .
- ↑ Road Traffic Amendment (Impounding and Confiscation of Vehicles) Bill 2004. Parliament of Western Australia, accessed on April 14, 2017 (English).
- ^ Victorian Current Acts: ROAD SAFETY ACT 1986. Retrieved April 14, 2016 .
- ^ Queensland Government: Hooning. Retrieved April 14, 2017 (English).