The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion 3-0 Tuesday to double the fines for street takeovers and sideshows.
Sideshows are when groups of cars take over a large intersection to street race and perform burnouts.
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WATCH HERE“Though street takeovers have occurred in Los Angeles since the 1980s, they have increased dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic and have become increasingly more dangerous; oftentimes resulting in deaths, robberies, high-speed chases, and more,'' according to the motion.
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SIGN UP Current civil penalties for drivers sit at $500. If approved, the new motion would double that to $1,000.
The proposal also aims to enable “removing posts and demonetizing profiles that promote illegal sideshows on major social media platforms.”
“Live streaming these illegal events often causes an influx of participants and can facilitate a localized environment becoming more prone to rapid growth in the illegality, often overwhelming law enforcement efforts to mitigate and disperse the events,'' the motion reads.
Tuesday’s vote means the Board supports the motion. Another vote will need to be held to fully approve the proposal's language.
Street racing has long been an issue in Los Angeles. In 2024 the city reported 176 street races between January and March, up nearly 50% from the same period in 2023. Takeovers rose 2% to 190 incidents in the same period.
