Illegal racing and street takeovers continue in Dallas
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam McGough says city officials will host a Zoom meeting Tuesday to address the problem of illegal street racing along Skillman Street. City staff members will answer questions and update citizens on their plans to stop the trend and prevent crashes.
At a December council meeting, McGough said tougher laws were needed to grab the attention of street racers, who flout the laws with no fear of consequences.
“I don’t think we solve this problem until we figure out how to make it known, that, in the City of Dallas, if you’re going to partake in this type of behavior, you’re going to lose the vehicle,” said McGough. “That gets everybody’s attention that’s involved in this stuff, because that’s what they’re proud of.”
Neighbors who call 911 to report cars racing or taking over intersections to do dangerous tricks say response times are too long, with perpetrators emboldened by crowds of spectators and no cop in sight. But DPD has resisted redesignating street racing from Priority 2 to Priority 1. Higher priority calls require quicker response – and high-speed driving – which introduces an additional risk to citizens.
In the meantime, more than 1,000 concerned citizens have signed a petition calling on DPD to invite Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to aid in the fight against street racing and roadway takeovers. You may add your name here.
The meeting will be held at Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. via Zoom. You can find details here.
