Legislators in Alabama unanimously passed a new bill banning exhibition driving on Wednesday. It includes those risking safety by doing burnouts, donuts, drifting, and more on public roads or in parking lots. Those convicted face serious penalties and the chance of losing their car altogether.
House Bill 29 was proposed by Republican Rep. Allen Treadway and sponsored by Democratic Senator Roger Smitherman. It specifically defines terms like burnout, donut, sideshow, speed contest, and exhibition of speed. Such actions are a nationwide issue but the problem has hit Alabama hard recently.
Late last year, a driver in a red Dodge Charger was doing donuts on John Rogers Drive before he was hit by a Nissan 350Z that was driving down that same road. As a result of that crash, 16 people were injured and that included a five-year-old. Alabama has seen deaths surrounding these events too.
More: Florida Police Crack Down Hard On Drifting Sideshow Participants
“If you don’t know what this is, this is where these come down the street and do donuts in the middle of downtown. We’ve had four people get killed because the folks are out there with those cars and those cars get out of control,” Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D- Birmingham) said.
Penalties for those convicted of “exhibition driving” start off fairly light but progress to serious jail time. A first-time offender faces the possibility of imprisonment between five to 90 days or a fine of between $25 to $500 or both. That seems to leave latitude for authorities to sentences to appropriately fit the crime.
The number of days in jail and the financial penalty increase for each subsequent conviction. Each time a driver is arrested their vehicle is subject to police impound for no fewer than 48 hours. After three or more violations, the car in question can be seized by police as contraband says ALReporter.
Should a driver injure someone else or cause property damage, the charge can increase to a Class A misdemeanor with a year in jail and up to a $6,000 fine. Anyone who causes a death while engaged in exhibition driving would be charged with a Class B felony with a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison and a $30,000 fine.