You may know that Houston draws street racers from all over the country for these illicit and dangerous thrills. In recent years, Houston has been the national capital for street racing activity. And Houston police haven’t done much to stop it. Though recently our Houston car accident lawyers have read that the Harris County Sheriff’s Office has reportedly been working to keep the deadly activity disorganized in order to discourage street racers.
The relative inaction of Houston police regarding street racing problems over the last decade probably stems from the disastrous results of a highly publicized enforcement effort that took place back in 2002. Titled ERACER, the Houston police enforcement action led to hundreds of arrests. But the actual charges filed in those cases were mostly for violations other than street racing. And parents of the teens arrested, as well as others, blasted the Houston police department for the ERACER effort.
It was a public relations nightmare that apparently has since kept the police sensitive about enforcement and discouraged the Houston police department from any real attempts to curtail street racing.
So the problem has continued to grow. Knowing that they face no criminal penalties, street racers from all over the country come to Houston to try their speed and skill against other misguided street racers. Our Houston car accident lawyers emphasize that the penalties the street racers occasionally do face come in the form of lost limbs, disfigurements, and lost lives from high speed crashes.
Deadly Street Racing Wreck Claims 17-Year-Old Driver’s Life on Friday Night in Houston
For example, on Friday night around 10 p.m., a 17-year-old driver engaged in a street race lost his life when he lost control of his vehicle at high speed on Briar Forest Drive east of Eldridge Parkway. His Chevy Camaro jumped the median, mowed down a small tree, and then crashed into a larger tree. The boy died at the scene of his deadly street racing wreck.
The boy that he was racing, also 17, was in a Mercedes. A Houston police spokesman had said that this boy was “apparently” looking at felony racing charges. But a note in the Houston Chronicle news article on the wreck (by Carol Christian, 1/26/13) said that a search on Saturday showed that no charges had actually been filed against that other driver.
Our Houston car accident lawyers hope that those charges have since been filed. Consistent enforcement is one of the only ways to cut down on the street racing problem in Houston and make our city a less attractive draw to street racers from all over the nation. As a parent, I would rather have my child spend some time in jail because of street racing enforcement efforts than lose his life in a street race for lack of enforcement.
About Street Racing Penalties Available under Texas Laws
Street racing crashes also take their toll on innocent victims not involved in street racing. And stiff penalties do exist for street racers under Texas law. Depending upon the circumstances of a street racer that causes serious injuries or death, that driver could face a 2nd degree felony charge. Conviction on that charge could result in up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 as well as suspension of the driver’s license and impounding of the car. Read more about Texas street penalties. Click on this article by our Houston car accident lawyers.
Contact us if You or Your Loved One was Harmed in a Street Racing Wreck
The Houston car accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC offer you a free initial legal consultation to discuss your case and evaluate your options for fair compensation after the traumatic accident. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. Reach us direct at 281-369-4363 or anytime through our online contact form. Let us help you after a serious accident has harmed you and your family.