DRIVERS who plague the roads with dangerous stunts face their cars being seized as part of a ruthless new crackdown on illegal car meet-ups.
Lawmakers in Suffolk County, New York, are hoping to make the reckless events a felony crime after a night of “coordinated chaos” on Sunday.
Chaotic scenes of illegal car meet-ups were captured at multiple locations over the weekend in Suffolk County[/caption]
The races, which left the roads in tatters, have prompted calls for tougher penalties[/caption]
Footage showed a slew of idiot drivers tearing through the streets and taking over intersections in the early hours.
The fast and furious tirade prompted State and Suffolk County lawmakers to draft a flurry of stiffer rules, including ramped-up fines and seizing cars from the road.
The iron fist will be clenched by cops who cracked the Gilgo Beach murders, with officials creating a task force of investigators from the Rex Heuermann case to clamp down on the issue, CBS New York reports.
“They are terrorizing the communities,” state Sen. Anthony Palumbo said of the car meets on Wednesday.
Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico added, “These cars are being used as weapons on the roadway, spinning around recklessly with a disregard for human life.”
In Patchogue, one spectator was hit and suffered a broken pelvis.
In Miller Place, an ambulance carrying a patient having a heart attack was blocked for 15 minutes.
If an emergency vehicle is blocked, police would have “the ability to to seize the vehicle and really have a heavy hand so folks won’t do this,” Palumbo said.
It comes after Suffolk police began impounding cars at meet-ups in 2022.
A year later 111 were seized.
Officials now say, however, that the illegal events need to be classified as a felony across the state.
And while fines have already been increased in the past, they say it’s clear they need to be higher.
“State law and local laws need a tune-up to address this problem more vigorously,” Allen Bode, the county’s chief assistant district attorney, said.
“To make sure our laws, our law enforcement across Suffolk County has the tools they need to seize these vehicles from these criminals from these fast and furious wannabees,” County Legislator Chad Lennon added.
Officials warn more arrests are coming.
And they insist every car can be identified – even if its plates have been removed.
“Do we know who they are? Absolutely. Why? Technology is great.” County Executive Ed Romaine said.
“We went through our red-light cameras. We were able to get their license numbers.”
County Legislator James Mazzarella added, “We have already seized one vehicle, apprehended two people.
“More arrests are planned. They will be caught.”
What is reckless driving?
Laws across the country are cracking down on careless drivers who endanger other people on the road. Here are some behaviors that are considered reckless driving:
- Speeding
- Street racing
- Aggressive driving/road rage
- Tailgating
- Driving under the influence
- Using a phone while driving
- Running red lights
- Inattentive driving
- Improperly changing lanes
- Not signaling
- Carrying too many passengers
- Weaving in and out of traffic
