Officials warn parents about street racing ahead of Halloween
Street racing surged during the pandemic when the streets were empty.
NORTHRIDGE (KABC) -- Assemblymembers gathered at the Automobile Club in Northridge to remind drivers and spectators of the dangers of street racing ahead of Halloween weekend.
"Last year, California Highway Patrol officers responded to 25,000 calls related to illegal street racing, a 16% increase from 2019," said Automobile Club of SoCal communications manager Doug Shupe.
Street racing surged during the pandemic when the streets were empty.
In October, Governor Newsom signed a bill that will allow courts to temporarily suspend the drivers licenses of people caught participating in street racing on a highway. That law will go into effect in 2025.
The city of Los Angeles is also looking at ways to make street racing illegal.
"Illegal street racing is the ultimate act of stupidity and selfishness. It is reckless and it often has deadly consequences," said California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel.
With Halloween falling on a Sunday this year, officials want to give an extra warning to parents since Sunday is a popular day for sideshows and street racing.
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