Drag Race, Face Jail Time?

Florida Lawmakers Look To Curb Souped-Up Car Street Racing

(AP)  Drivers who drag race on public streets could lose their souped-up cars and spend up to a year in jail under a bill aimed at curbing the dangerous sport. The measure awaits the signature of Gov. Jeb Bush.

"Their car is their most precious possession," said the measure's House sponsor, Republican John Quinones. "If you hit them where it hurts, that will deter other individuals from engaging in drag racing."

The bill, approved by the Legislature this week, would give police the authority to permanently confiscate a driver's car if the owner commits repeat offenses within a five-year period.

"They put a lot of money into their vehicles," Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Ernesto Duarte said of the racers. "It's not atypical to see vehicles with accessories of $5,000, $8,000 or $10,000 in addition to the value of the car."

Bush has yet to thoroughly review the measure, one of his spokesmen said Wednesday.

Drag racing has been a rising problem, Duarte said, citing a 2001 crash in which a 22-year-old man accidentally hit and killed his own mother and her elderly passenger while racing.

Once the domain of thrill-seeking youngsters, the high-risk sport has developed criminal connections and a wider audience, he said.

"It's not just fun anymore," Duarte said. "They'll race for titles of their vehicles. They'll race for drugs. They'll race for weapons."