Two Lane Blacktop. American Graffiti. Cannonball Run. Street racing has been around since the 1940s. Heck, if you go back to the days of Rome’s heyday, there were chariot races. What’s the difference, it’s not so much about drag racing anymore. It’s more about intersection takeovers where sometimes more than a thousand people show up to do donuts.
More often than not, these events turn into bedlam. They’re not just doing “harmless” donuts, spectators run into the roadway when these activities are going or they stand in the street and invariably, some get run over or get hit.
There’s no question that Street Racing is Getting Worse
It has devolved into mini riots. In addition to the car antics, fireworks are being set off, and not just firecrackers, we’re talking about roman candles and such. In L.A. County, fireworks in the middle of inner-city homes and dry brush, it’s a tinder box. Worse yet, many of these perpetrators bring guns, including AK47s which they shoot into the air.
There was a recent death from gunfire.
These events happen almost every night. Organizers gather crowds by using social media. While there are long-standing laws against these activities, they continue. 400 people per year die in street racing incidents. Police have been hamstrung by lenient laws on street racing.
Usually, the car gets impounded for 30 days, the driver gets a citation or goes to jail then is released on no bail or low bail. After 30 days, 99% of the offenders are back on the street with their cars to offend over and over again.
So how can we as parents stop our kids from getting involved? Use their own technology to monitor them.
- Apple Airtags in their cars or other hidden GPS tracking devices can provide their location, their speed, and their braking severity in real-time. If your kids are driving and still living at home, a parent has every right to monitor the child’s activity. You can track them on your mobile device.
- Check their social media accounts. Look at their posts and the posts of their friends. Another words, trust but verify.
The automotive hobby is fun but, it also should be safe and since street racing is getting worse, we all must do our part to make sure our kids come home at night. Here’s a resource to help guide you through these difficult conversations.