WKSU News: Plan to hike punishment for illegal drag racing passes Ohio House

Racers could be punished, even if there are no crashes. Organizers could face punishment for the first time as well

WKSU's statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles reports

A plan to hike the punishment for illegal drag racing was approved today by the Ohio House of Representatives. The author of the measure, State Representative Ted Celeste, noted that innocent motorists have sometimes been injured or killed when drag racers do their thing on the highways. He added that the racers are rarely punished very much.

State Rep. Ted Celeste on what his proposal changes in the law

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Under Celeste's proposal, the penalties for drag racing would be increased. Street racers could be punished, even if there were no crashes and organizers of illegal street racing could be punished for the first time. the Ohio House okayed the measure on a vote of 90 to 7. Now, the Ohio Senate has the green light to consider the plan.

Listener Comments:

I am surprised to hear of such strict rules for this offense when statistics on drag racing accidents and deaths are rarely tracked. But yet drunk driving according to mothers against drunk driving killed over 11,000 people in 2008 and is there these kinds of consequences for these offenders? Under the new law cars will be seized upon the first offense of drag racing. Why dont we seize the cars of drunk drivers on the first offense but wait we dont even take the cars of drunk drivers we let them drive over and over and over. WHAT a JOKE!

Posted by: Margaret (ohio) on December 27, 2009 8:08PM

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