LOS ANGELES () — New California state laws hope to curb dangerous street takeovers and street racing in the New Year.
“Takeovers are such a huge problem in our communities,” explained California Highway Patrol Lt. Steve Carapia. “It’s a public nuisance. They create thousands of dollars of damages onto the roadway, crashed cars.”
Carapia commands CHP’s Southern Division Street Racing Enforcement unit and said combating street racing is challenging.
Under Assembly Bill 3085, spectators’ vehicles can be seized for up to 30 days.
“Anybody now that purposely or intentionally blocks a roadway, either with their vehicle or with their persons, or create a blockade preventing law enforcement from entering these active takeovers; those individuals are going to be held liable as well,” said Carapia.
In addition, Assembly Bill 2186 allows authorities to go after those participating in illegal activity in off-street spaces.
“If they’re in a parking lot actively displaying reckless behavior, doing donuts in the parking lot, now we can actually do the same thing that we would do on any public roadway,” said Carapia.
He believes these new laws will strengthen enforcement on those who take part in the reckless culture.
CHP will continue to use other tools they have including helicopters and airplanes to monitor and takedown these street takeovers.
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