Street racing is considered a crime in California. This crime is committed when drivers operate their cars in a race through public thoroughfares without due regard to road safety. In so doing, they use the public roads as their racetrack, placing their lives and others in harm’s way.
For the first offense of the crime of street racing, the penalties imposable are as follows:
• Jail time between twenty four (24) hours and ninety (90) days in county jail;
• The vehicle used in the street race is impounded for a period of thirty (30) days;
• When the car is towed and impounded, fees for such towing and storage to a maximum amount of $1,000 would be to the account of the car’s owner. When the car owner fails to pay these fees, the car would then be subject to an auction sale where the government holds a lien over the proceeds of the sale;
• Other parties that aid and/or abet street racing would be liable for jail time of up to ninety (90) days in county jail;
When on the road, the presence of the following would lead police authorities to the reasonable belief that the crime of street racing is being committed:
• Sec 27007 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that loud music from a car is considered as illegal when the same can be heard fifty (50) feet from the vehicle;
• Sec 5200 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that when DMV license plates are not attached to the either the front or rear of the vehicle;
• Sec 28150 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that radar jammers or any other technical device that jams radar signals are deemed illegal;
• Sec 24008 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that lowered car frames lower than the lowest point of the wheel rim is deemed illegal;
• Secs 24002 and 24008 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that the unsafe operation of air and/or hydraulic suspensions systems lower than the stipulated measurements allowed;
• Sec 24601 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that there is no illumination on rear license plate is deemed illegal;
• Sec 28071 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that it is illegal to operate a vehicle without front and/or rear bumpers;
• Sec 27156 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that it is illegal to put engine modifications, such as smog creation or loud engine noise;
• Sec 24011 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that headlights of vehicles must be white, not blue or yellow. Furthermore, installation of higher wattage headlights above and beyond factory installed headlights are deemed illegal;
• Sec 24603 of the California Vehicle Code stipulates that brake lights must be red when the vehicle’s manufacturing date is 1979 onwards. For vehicles built before 1979, brake lights can either be red or yellow;
The crime of street racing is a serious matter in California. Should you be or know anyone facing any of these charges, do reach out to the lawyers at the Law Offices of Ramiro J. Lluis for a free consultation today.
