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Careless & dangerous driving
Careless driving
Careless driving is a common traffic offence. The most common reason for being charged with careless driving is when you run into the back of another vehicle.
You can be fined for driving carelessly. The court may also cancel your licence.
See ‘Driving & accidents’ (link below).
Dangerous driving
Dangerous driving is driving at a speed or in a way that could harm other people. You can be fined, imprisoned or both for dangerous driving. If you are found guilty, the court must cancel your licence and disqualify you from driving for at least six months.
If you are charged with dangerous driving and you plead not guilty, the court can – after hearing all the evidence – convict you of the less serious offence of careless driving.
If someone is actually injured or dies because of your dangerous driving, you could be charged with a more serious offence.
Hoon driving
‘Hoon driving’ relates to the offence of ‘improper use of a motor vehicle’. This offence targets drivers who do things in their motor vehicle such as:
- burnouts
- doughnuts
- too much skidding or spinning and blowing out smoke
- going through a railway or tram crossing in an unsafe manner when the train or tram is about to cross
- being a part of a ‘speed trial ‘ or ‘drag race’ – for example, racing cars on a public road or in a public space
- keeping on driving while your licence is disqualified
- driving 45 kilometres or more above the posted limit or driving at 145 km/h.
It is also a hoon driving offence to drive a vehicle or keep driving a vehicle if you know that you have been given a direction to stop by the police.
The court may be able to order that your car, or the car you were driving at the time, is wheel-clamped, stored in a secure lock-up for a set amount of time or taken away permanently.
More information
Possible outcomes for traffic offences
Related publications
Road to court: a guide to traffic offences in the Magistrates' Court
How we can help
Call Victoria Legal Aid’s (VLA) Legal Information Service for free information over the phone about the law and how we can help you with your legal problem. You can speak to a legal information officer in English or ask for an interpreter. Phone (03) 9269 0120 or 1800 677 402 (country callers), Monday to Friday from 8.45 am to 5.15 pm.
If you have to go to court and have not been able to get legal advice beforehand, our free legal services include lawyers who are on ‘duty’ to help at many courts and tribunals.
To find out more about any of our legal services see What we do.
Who else can help?
Your local community legal centre (CLC) can give you legal information and advice. Most CLC services are free. See the Community Law website (new window) for more information and CLC contact details.