Bill Calls for FBI to Help to Curb Illegal Street Racing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Michelle Steel (CA-45) and Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) introduced H.R. 6224, the They’re Fast, We’re Furious Act of 2023 to address illegal auto racing and unlawful takeovers impacting communities across the country.

This bipartisan bill would establish a Street Racing Prevention and Intervention Task Force under the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to coordinate local, state, and federal strategic responses to street racing, organized takeovers, and sideshows. The task force would address the impacts of street racing and develop best practices to combat the problem, creating safer communities and potentially saving lives.

“Illegal street racing, takeovers, and sideshows have become a serious safety concern for our local communities. These reckless activities harm innocent drivers, first responders, and local businesses the most and have become a major public safety issue. It is unfortunate to see this behavior grow across our country, and I am proud to introduce legislation with Rep. Pettersen that will strengthen law enforcement coordination and combat this dangerous trend,” said Steel. 

“I’ve heard from constituents across Broomfield and Jefferson Counties who are concerned by the illegal street racing on the rise in our communities,” said Pettersen. “During a town hall earlier this year, I spoke with residents about the toll this reckless driving is taking on the well-being of our neighbors and kids, including the death of a college student in Westminster caused by a street racing incident. I took these concerns back to Washington and am now proud to be partnering with Congresswoman Steel to create a federal task force to reduce traffic fatalities and help keep our streets and neighborhoods a safe place for everyone.”

Southern California has seen a sharp increase in illegal street racing activity, resulting in blocked roads and an increased risk to public safety. Los Angeles Police Department found police responded to 19,506 calls for service related to street racing incidents across the entire city from 2020 to 2022. At least 16 deaths were caused by street racing, but police are concerned they may be more that were not reported to law enforcement.

In recent years:

• In April, 2023, a pedestrian and a motorcyclist were killed in Fullerton in a suspected street racing related crash.
• In 2022, Garden Grove police arrested 31 people and cited 823 people for street racing
• In 2021, a street-racing crash in Westminster resulted in the death of a 21-year-old girl and her dog

Beyond the dangerous nature of these activities, street racing and takeovers cause noise and safety disruptions, negatively impacting small neighborhoods and large cities alike as well as commuters and first responders. The They’re Fast, We’re Furious Act of 2023 is a step towards cracking down on these dangerous activities, as the established task force would coordinate efforts nationwide and ensure law enforcement and agencies have the best information and resources available. Members of the task force would be appointed by the Attorney General, Secretary of Transportation, and the FBI Director, and be composed of employees from the DOJ Criminal Division, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the FBI, and local and state law enforcement agencies.

See the full text of the bill here.

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