Warrnambool’s top traffic cop has slammed a young hoon driver who was clocked at 168km/h just hours after getting his licence.
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Jai Howard, 21, of Suzanne Crescent, Warrnambool, was caught driving 70km/h over the limit in Halls Gap on January 17.
It was his second dangerous driving offence in four years.
Western region division two road safety manager Acting Senior Sergeant Chris Asenjo said Howard’s behaviour was deplorable.
“This isn’t a case of losing concentration and accidentally going a couple of kilometres over. It is a deliberately dangerous act," he said.
“This person has made a decision to drive in a way that could easily have killed someone.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Asenjo said drivers, particularly young ones, thought they were invincible.
“They think that they’re good drivers and that it won’t happen to them, but it might,” he said.
“Dangerous driving - whether it’s high speed, consuming alcohol or drugs, driving fatigued or being distracted by a mobile phone – can lead to road trauma.
“Most road users choose to drive safely to get to where they need to be. We don’t want people who are willing to drive dangerously on our roads.”
Howard pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to dangerous driving, failing to stop for police and speeding.
His licence was disqualified for two years and he was placed on a community corrections order, with conditions he do 250 hours’ unpaid community work.
Magistrate Steven Raleigh said Howard was a young person with a history of dangerous driving. He said he could have sentenced him to two years’ jail.
Lawyer Alex McCulloch said his client’s criminal history related to an incident where he drove without a licence and on the wrong side of the road to avoid police.
He said the new offending occurred just five hours after Howard had got his probationary licence.
Mr McCulloch said Howard didn’t realise how fast he was going.
Police observed Howard travelling west on Aarat-Halls Gap Road about 3pm. He turned right and accelerated at 168km/h in a signed 100km/h zone. Police followed the motorist for about six kilometres before he slowed down and was subsequently arrested.