Davie, Fla. – illegal street racing has claimed the life of at least one person in a high-speed car accident in Davie on Friday night, December 4, 2020.
Reports say that a driver of a red mustang was traveling at high speeds east on Stirling Road when he collided with the driver of a Kia Soul that was making a U-turn at Northwest 77th Avenue. The driver of the Kia was not involved in the drag race.
The driver of the red Mustang was taken to the hospital with arm injuries, and police have not commented on who was killed in the auto accident.
The Kia was flipped over and completely destroyed and will almost certainly be written off at this point. The red mustang sustained major damage to the front hood.
After the accident, a number of people in the area rushed to the cars to help in any way. An ambulance was called and everyone on the scene, including the third car that was allegedly involved in the drag race, waiting for police to arrive.
It comes as no surprise that street racing is illegal in Florida under Section 316.191. The penalty for drag racing or street racing can begin with a $500 – $1,000 fine for first-time offenders and lead to vehicle forfeitures, license revocation, and a criminal record.
Last year, the Florida Senate approved a bill that would allow police officers to arrest and charge street racers even if the officer did not witness the race directly. The bill would allow the use of video and witness testimony as evidence when making arrests and building cases.
In essence, misdemeanor street racing qualified as a misdemeanor exception and officers can treat street racing like a felony, giving them more power to build cases and arrest offenders. (Florida Politics)
Additionally, passengers who knew the driver was going to race and race organizers can face the same penalties as the drivers themselves.
According to Insurify, Florida ranked as the 9th state with the most street racers as of 2019. (Insurify)
- The proportion of drivers with a street racing violation: 8 in 100,000
- Percentage of drivers with a prior speeding ticket: 7.12%
- Vehicle-related deaths per 100,000 people: 14.8
There have been no more updates on the case yet. If you or a loved one were injured in an auto accident, call the premiere Florida personal injury lawyers at Steinger, Greene & Feiner.