Illinois Rep. La Shawn Ford proposes state crackdown on illegal street racing

CHICAGO (CBS) — An Illinois state lawmaker needs to alter state regulation to crack down on unlawful avenue racing, so-called “avenue takeovers,” and different harmful driving stunts.

State Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago) needs to increase the state’s mob motion statute to incorporate unlawful avenue racing, and different reckless driving stunts generally often called “drifting,” which refers back to the fishtail impact that happens when the again of a automotive slides after a pointy flip.

Below Illinois regulation, anybody convicted of mob motion faces as much as 6 years in jail.

If accepted by the Illinois Common Meeting, the proposal would take impact Jan. 1, 2023.

“This type of criminality is a detriment to surrounding neighbors, and so they should not should put up with it,” Ford mentioned in a press release. “Past the noise, these unlawful avenue closures can affect emergency providers and trigger different issues. It must cease now.”

His proposal comes after Chicago Police responded to a number of calls of avenue racing throughout the town over the weekend, together with one which resulted within the dying of a 40-year-old girl who was killed when she was hit by a dashing automotive whereas within the crosswalk close to sixty fifth and Cicero.

The Metropolis Council final month handed its personal try and crack down on avenue racing, by authorizing police to impound vehicles concerned in such stunts, even when the automobile’s proprietor is just not there when the automotive is discovered. The town additionally might impose fines of as much as $10,000.