By Tyler Wright
There are added calls for more safety precautions along Paternoster Road in Emerald following reports of hooning in the area.
Resident Maurizio Toneatto said hoons can be heard speeding on the road from between 9pm and 10pm at night through to the early hours of the morning.
“They’ll be doing burnouts up the hill,” Mr Toneatto said.
“We’re getting a lot of bikers that use [the road] as a dragway because got that nice curved aspect uphill where they can just basically floor it, and you’ll get groups of even up to 50 riders at a time throughout the day.
“We have horses and dogs and they’re often quite spooked by the bikes. I’ve had one horse injured as a result.”
In 2020, Cardinia Shire Council installed guardrails along sections of the road as part of a BlackSpot improvement project after receiving $364,000 from the then Liberal federal government.
In the five year period for when the grant application was assessed, five casualty crashes were recorded on the road – which links Emerald and Mount Burnett.
It’s understood non-fatal vehicle accidents have occurred on the road since.
“The speed should be down to 60 kilometres, not 80,” Mr Toneatto said.
“Every few months there will be something that occurs there; [we’re] just waiting for the big one where a truck rolls over and takes out a few people.
“It’s surely going to be on the cards and then they’ll no doubt they’ll then come crawling and raising how big an issue it might be.”
Mr Toneatto said rumble strips should be installed at the top of bends in the road to disrupt those speeding.
“We’ve been trying for a long time and no one’s really hearing us,” he said.
“I won’t let my kids go near [Paternoster Road] when we’re walking horses between properties; It’s pretty scary.”
A Cardinia Shire spokesperson told the Star Mail that recent surveys and investigations indicate most drivers on Paternoster Road drive under the speed limit, and the rate of crashes has fallen since the BlackSpot improvements were completed.
“Council will continue to monitor safety on Paternoster Road and refer any issues relating to unsafe driving and enforcement to Victoria Police,” the spokesperson said.
Sergeant Mike Hannie said Cardinia Highway Patrol crews are increasing patrols later in the evenings in response to Mr Toneatto’s concerns.
“So far we haven’t detected any further incidents,” Sgt Hannie said.
“At Cardinia [Highway Patrol], we will occasionally get reports of people doing burnouts, sometimes more often than not it’s in relation to excessive speed or loud vehicles and it can be difficult to determine whether it’s just loud vehicles or whether they are actually speeding, but it’s obviously better if we’re there to detect them at the time.
“If we can identify the target times and dates or days of the week, it’s even better to do a focused patrol rather than just a general patrol at potentially the wrong time; so the more information we can get from the public, if it’s a recurring issue, it helps us tremendously.”
Sgt Hannie said various industrial estates in the municipality have experienced hooning in the past, but there aren’t many regular hotspots – to his knowledge – that are targeted by speeding drivers.
“[I] reemphasise that anyone that witnesses any of these hoon events, to certainly contact Crime Stoppers or triple zero if it’s happening at the time,” he said.
“We take this sort of behaviour very seriously, so the more information we have to combat it is greatly appreciated.”
In response to a request for comment from the Star Mail, Monbulk MP Daniela De Martino said hoon driving is an offence that the Victorian government and Victoria Police take “very seriously”.
“Victoria Police can immediately impound vehicles for different driving offences,” Ms De Martino said.
“Tougher penalties for excessive speeding, unlicensed driving and employing an unlicensed driver in a driving role also apply.”
The state government is committed to continuing to invest in Victoria Police to ensure they have the “resources, powers, technology and modern fit-for-purpose facilities they need to keep the community safe,” Ms De Martino said.
“We’ve invested a record $4.5 billion in funding to Victoria Police including an additional 3,637 extra police officers.
“If residents observe dangerous driving, to assist police in the detection of hoon drivers they should report incidents to the Crime Stoppers Hoon Hotline on 1800 333 000 or the Police Assistance Line on 131 444. The public is a vital source of intelligence for Victoria Police by assisting in identifying ‘hotspot’ offending locations that require stronger police enforcement and monitoring.
“You may also submit speed camera location suggestions: https://www.camerassavelives.vic.gov.au/txncsl/suggestlocation.doj. This allows for the public to identify problem areas where speeding is known to occur regularly.”
Ms De Martino said she has received one query regarding Paternoster Road to date – received on 6 September 2023 – which is currently being investigated.
“I welcome any further information from community members who have witnessed this behaviour. Feel free to contact my office on 9754 5401 or e-mail me at daniela.demartino@parliament.vic.gov.au,” she said.
Crime Stoppers Victoria can be contacted on 1800 333 000, and online reports can be made at https://www.crimestoppersvic.com.au/
