Consequences
Street racing’s stunts and speed may look exciting and full of adventure to others. However, it is such a very dangerous game to which street racers’ lives is at risk of death. The street racing likely increase the possibilities of car crash incidents causing serious injuries or even deaths (pssg.gov.bc.ca). Such activity could also cause significant damages to our public roads and private properties. After such serious accident happened, the street racers could face consequences such as having their vehicles immediately impounded by the authorities, may need to pay heavy fines and much worse, their driver’s license will be suspended. They will not be allowed to drive for a period until they have already paid the damages and renewed their license to drive.
The driver could face multiple charges due to being involved in such activity whether or not there are damages. In some places such as Canada, street racing incident would cause the driver to pay the associated fines and penalties. There may be a different fine against damaging a public road or property and a separate charge for private property damage if there was any.
In addition, the driver would face separate charges if he accidentally injured or killed anyone within or near the location where the street race was held. There are many consequences that would arise by being involved in a street race, consequences beyond the legal bounds of the authorities that would arrest the involved person(s) with this activity.
Street race is very popular. In fact, it is just being done in one country. There are a lot of nations who also face this kind of challenge when it comes to minimizing if not restraining the drivers from this accident-prone activity. Authorities are doing everything they cannot only to save public properties, but also to prevent the accident itself that contributes to the total number of fatalities each year.
Focusing on the legal consequences can be one of the prevalent issues about street racing. One of the penalties that may impose against the driver once caught in the street racing is a fine that would range from two thousand dollars and much worse, life imprisonment. Legal consequences may vary depending on the gravity of the case filed. Life imprisonment may be imposed against the involved persons in cases such as criminal negligence resulting to death of the victim and for dangerous operation (alternative360.webs.com), which may also cause death towards the others. The difference between a life in prison and the fine ranging from two thousand dollars is the degree in which the accused person’s behavior departed from the care standard, which a reasonable person may observe in the similar situation that is based on the law (parl.gc.ca).
There are legal motor and car races. However, the risk of facing more consequences is higher when it comes to illegal street race. Illegal racing has an increasing concern throughout the world; thus it is one of the oldest competitions ever since the invention of a motor vehicle. Speed limits may have changed, but the possible consequences stay similar.
Consequences may vary depending on the damage and violation that has been committed during the street race. Traffic violation and excessive noise may be the least violations that the driver could be guilty of, but these events still have corresponding consequences. It may not be as bad as getting into prison for several weeks or months, sometimes years.
The People who participate in the Street Racing
There are several people who participate in the street racing. They are the ones who often come along with their peers to start the race. Street racing normally involves a crowd of a young age. They conduct their racing activities through illegal ways to avoid the authorities’ attention (Peak & Glensor 1). This activity represents a high risk to the people involved such as injuries and deaths.
People who participate during the street race are composed of different ages, but mostly younger. There are different group affiliation and ethnicities such as Hispanics, Asian Americans, European-Americans, and Black and White Americans. These participants are the ones who are normally being caught driving under the influence of alcohol. In some cases, there are participants who are normally being caught due to possession of illegal drugs.
As street race started ever since the motor vehicle was invented, its influence already spread around the world. Thus, legal races such as F1 Race and Grand Prix may have influenced the increasing number of participants around the world as they are being televised. Younger generation may have found that racing could bring excitement. In addition, street race became more popular after some series of movies that have the same theme such as illegal racing. Added to its story, such movie may become a box-office hit that will increase its influence over the younger generations who are the usual participants of a street race.
There may also have some older generations, which organize and participate in their street race. Within this age bracket, it less likely to have road accidents, but the possibility of having one remains.
Opening New Tracks Will Minimize Street Racing
There may be a lot of factors that contribute to increasing population of street racers and street racing incidents. These factors such as unsupervised activities and environment attract young people. These groups of people may be too young to be in bars.
Street racing could also their means of socializing with their friends. However, these factors are normal as they only act appropriately according to their age. There could be such one factor that could minimize if not eradicate street racing activities. By creating and opening new tracks, these groups of people will have a chance get into the action of racing in a legal and safe way.
Relatively, the road design and location is also a factor that contributes to street racing (Peak & Glensor 8). These locations are normally in a remote area, where street racing is very suitable to conduct. That is why having new tracks would minimize the incidents of street racing. By having such tracks, street racers will switch from dangerous streets to a safer method of releasing their vehicle’s speed.
Moreover, having new tracks for racing would lessen not only the probability of accident causing deaths, but it will also minimize the damages it may give to public properties such as roads and public posts.
Additionally, the risk of killing a bystander will also decrease, as the race will become organized in a safely. This will likely save private properties from being damaged, which will decrease the offenses and penalties that the drivers would face if the racing event is done illegally.
Opening new race tracks is like deactivating the domino effects of illegal street race and will save more lives, public and private properties, and community road will be safer to pass by.
In other areas, once the driver is caught illegally racing on the street with his friends, their cars will be impounded. There are times that their cars will end up to be totally crashed in the impounding area. This is not the answer to eradicate street race (examiner.com). The ideal way of solving street race issues is to open additional tracks along with lowering the fees involved in drag strips (examiner.com). As mentioned, this will be a safer method so that street racers and avid racing fans will have more opportunities to enjoy such event in a safe and sanctioned system.
What do People and Cops think Abut Street Racing
People have a different perception towards street racing. There are people who say that street racing should be legalized so that legally operated race tracks will be opened, which will everyone including the street racers will be happy. They will no longer face any strict legal consequences, thus turning their races to be safer. On the other hand, there are people who say that street race should not be legalized as this activity is very dangerous whether or not it will be done in a legal racetrack.
However, some respondents may say that this activity must be put on a legal way because they claim that the reason that accidents happen is when the driver under the influence of alcohol or drugs and not it is not the speed that kills them.
On the other side of the issue about street race, they say that it should not be legalized because of the innocent people who are not directly involved with the race itself. These are the bystanders who just curiously watched.
Different people have different views regarding street race. However, all of them come up with one similar view, and that is a street race being a dangerous activity. We may not be able to refute that view, as they are categorically correct with their views toward street race.
On the other hand, the LAPD says that a street race can be a murder (lapdracing.com) With the same perception; it is obvious that the activity is a dangerous one. Claiming that street race could be a murderer, authorities have been presenting numerous evidence that legal racing can kill people so, what more if it is an illegal one?
What the LAPD cops are saying is that the street race is much more dangerous than what we normally think. It is true that it kills people, but cops are trying to infuse more information as they can so that people will be more aware of the risks.
Whether or not a person is a street racer, he, or she must be aware of the damages it could cause to their properties and lives. The authorities think almost similarly as they are the ones who initially uphold what the rules and regulations say. However, people may have several views over this issue because some of them could be racing fans and some of them could be more on the safer side of the story.
Works Cited
Berenis, Michael. "Crushing illegal street racing vehicles is not the answer - Tampa Bay sports car." Examiner.com. N.p., 23 Sept. 2009. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. <http://www.examiner.com/article/crushing-illegal-street-racing-vehicles-is-not-the-answer>.
Ledsham, Simon. "Legal Consequences of Street Racing." Alternative 360. N.p., 17 May 2010. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. <http://alternative360.webs.com/apps/blog/show/3781702>.
Parliament of Canada. "Bill C-19: An Act to amend the Criminal Code (street racing) and to make a consequential amendment to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (LS-531E)." Parliament of Canada Web Site - Site Web du Parlement du Canada. http://www.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/LegislativeSummaries/bills_ls.asp?lang=E&ls=c19&Parl=39&Ses=1&source=library_prb, 21 Sept. 2007. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.
Peak, Kenneth J, and Ronald W. Glensor. Street Racing. Washington, D.C: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2004. Print.
"Should street racing be legalized? | Debate.org." The Premier Online Debate Website | Debate.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. <http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-street-racing-be-legalized>.
"Street Racing and Stunting - Road Safety Rules and Consequences of Unsafe Driving - Driver Behaviour and Road Safety - Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles." Redirect - Ministry of Justice. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. <http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/osmv/road-safety/racing.htm>.
"Street racing can be murder." LAPD Racing. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. <http://www.lapdracing.com/StreetRacingcanbeMurder.html>.
