Drag Racing

In response to a tragic incident where a teenager was killed in a drag race, the General Assembly approved an Attorney General bill that sets steep criminal penalties for this practice. The Affiliate decried the measure – which will inevitably affect teenagers almost exclusively – for containing draconian penalties that are much more severe than the penalties on the books for more serious driving misconduct often committed by adults. To give just one example: mere street racing with a passenger in the motor vehicle – without any accident or other endangering behavior – will now carry a five year prison sentence. However, an adult who drives drunk with a child 13 years or younger in the car faces a maximum one year penalty under current law!