KANSAS CITY, Mo. — People watching illegal street racing in Kansas City, Missouri, may soon face a fine, under a proposal the mayor introduced.
A KCMO City Council committee reviewed the proposal Wednesday for the first time. The Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee opted to hold the proposal for further discussion on March 17.
Mayor Quinton Lucas said the racing and accompanying sideshows, which block streets and attract crowds, create public safety concerns.
Over the summer, police said a racing driver hit and killed a pedestrian at 43rd Street and Main Street.
Last year, a sideshow at Swope Park ended when gunshots rang out, injuring several people. Drivers have blocked streets around Union Station and the Power and Light District to do donuts on the road.
The mayor’s proposal beefs up the current rules against street racing in three ways:
- Increasing penalties against drivers. First-time violations will result in a fine of up to $150 and/or up to 30 days in jail. A second violation would lead to a fine of up to $300 and/or up to 60 days in jail. Third and subsequent violations would be met with a fine of up to $500 and/or and up to six months in jail;
- Allows police to fine spectators at these events up to $100;
- Allows police to impound vehicles suspected of violating the ordinance.
“What I don’t want to see is a car spinning out of control and creating new challenges," Lucas said. "Those are the sorts of things we have the ordinance for. I think it’s a responsible and a balanced approach."
Lucas said he will continue to look at ways to support legal car events where people can show off their cars’ capabilities without jeopardizing safety.
