Los Angeles Injury Lawyer Blog

In response to increasing number of injuries related to street racing in SoCal, California has tightened its enforcement and administering of stiffer penalties for this illegal activity. The current law on street racing is as follows:

• Minimum county jail sentence of 24 hours and maximum of 90 days


• Vehicle probably impounded for at least 30 days


• Owner responsible for vehicle's towing and storage charges ($1,000 or more)


• If owner fails to pay, vehicle could be sold at a lien sale


• Anyone who aids or abets a street race also faces a maximum 90-day jail sentence

Those who have been convicted of speed racing that caused injuries to persons other than the driver also face the following:

• County jail or prison sentence of 30 days to 6 months, or


• Fine between $500 and $1000

For more information on street racing and illegal vehicle modifications, please refer to the California Highway Patrol’s website at http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/streetlegal.html
Only last month, a 14-year old boy, while riding as a passenger, died of severe injuries sustained from a car crash in Huntington Beach, CA. The accident occurred when the driver of the Acura Integra while traveling at high speeds, ran a stop sign and collided into Cadillac Escalade. Luckily, the driver and the passengers of the Escalade (which included small children) escaped with relatively minor or no injuries. Unfortunately, the teenage passenger did not fare so well.

Witnesses to the accident believe that the Acura was involved in a street race with another car, with a third car trailing behind as the “referee.” Local residents in the area say that the intersection’s wide lanes, scarce traffic, and light police patrol make it a common place for street racing to occur. At night, the sounds of screeching tires can be heard from cars going 80 to 100 mph.

If you or a loved one has been injured in Southern California as a result of illegal street racing, you need the guidance of an experienced professional on your side. The personal injury lawyers at the Law Firm of Greenberg & Rudman LLP are here to help. Call 1-800-ALAWPRO (1-800-252-9776) now free initial interview regarding your situation.