Ahead of the long holiday school break, CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray, Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Kern County), AAA and families who have lost loved ones to street racing gathered to remind the public of the dangers of illegal street racing, as well as highlight a new law.

Assembly Bill 3 will crackdown on illegal street racing by allowing courts to issue a driver’s license suspension for up to six months for participating in dangerous sideshows.

“Deaths and injuries from street racing and sideshows are 100 percent preventable, and yet, they continue to occur,” said Assemblyman Fong. “Proactive enforcement is critical to stopping dangerous sideshows before they start. This law will make our streets safer for everyone and together, we will send a strong message that this dangerous activity will not be tolerated.”

CHP Commissioner Ray discussed a new grant to beef up enforcement operations, complemented with non-enforcement public engagement strategies.

“The CHP was recently awarded a traffic safety grant by the Office of Traffic Safety to deter street racing and sideshows,” said CHP Commissioner Ray. “The Communities Against Racing and Sideshows grant will allow the CHP to dedicate additional resources to specifically reduce the number of victims injured and killed resulting from street races and sideshows.”

A sideshow has been defined for law enforcement purposes for the first time thanks to the new law: Two or more persons blocking or impeding traffic on a highway, for the purpose of performing motor vehicle stunts, motor vehicle speed contests, motor vehicle exhibitions of speed, or reckless driving, for spectators. These activities often lead to street racing after the show.

Drivers who participate in sideshows, under the new law, can have their driver licenses restricted or suspended for up to six months, and be fined up to $500.

“Street racing and sideshows have become the new weekend plans, they are just as dangerous and life-threatening as drugs, more awareness and harsher penalties need to happen for young people to be scared not to engage in these activities,” warned a Carmichael mom, Heather Dubinetskiy, whose son was left with a traumatic brain injury and a shattered pelvis at a sideshow.

Sideshows and street racing have surged during the pandemic. The California Highway Patrol reported it received more than 25,000 calls last year related to street racing and street takeovers – a 16 percent increase from 2019.

Recent research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safetyfound that even modestly higher speeds at the time of a crash dramatically increase the chances of severe injury and death, and also can cancel out the benefits of vehicle safety features (like airbags).

“Dangerous driving activities, including street racing, so-called ‘sideshows,’ and street takeovers, have surged during the pandemic and, unfortunately, the increase is continuing. Tragically, the results have been deadly. Not only are participants putting themselves at risk, they are also putting others at risk including spectators, other drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians,” said AAA spokesperson Doug Shupe.

Street Racing Kills Founder Lili Trujillo Puckett joined Fong, Ray and AAA. She launched the non-profit organization in 2014 after her 16-year old daughter Valentina was killed by a young man who gave her a ride home and then engaged in a race with another driver.

“As parents, we’re not supposed to bury our children, and I decided I was not going to let my daughter’s death be in vain,” said Trujillo Puckett. “We have to create awareness of the dangers of illegal street racing.”

Since launching Street Racing Kills, Trujillo Puckett has met many other families who have lost loved ones to illegal street racing including Lori Argumedo. Argumendo’s beloved niece died the day before Mother’s Day when street racers ran a stop sign at 80 MPH.

“Our stories are the reality of what happens when they make those decisions. There’s deadly consequences,” said Lori Agumendo.