Living in Vancouver B.C., it seems like every second night you hear about some idiot who gets injured or killed when street racing. Hell, The street I live next to always attracts racers at 1 in the morning.
I doubt this will stop the ricing fad, but it may hopefully prevent guys my age from illegally racing. With mandatory jail sentences and such, not to mention the fact that departments may soon crush your car, I think it'll deter some people.
Just recently in Toronto, the Manchesters, a married couple who were celebrating their anniversary were making a left turn onto a suburban street when they got hit by two Honda's which were at speeds of about 150km. Both Honda drivers survived and got carted to the hospital. The Manchesters died instantly and their bodies were mingled in the wreckage. As emergency crews tried to recover the bodies, they found themselves taunted and harassed by the friends of the racers. They were also snapping photos of the wreckage with their cell phone cameras...
A New York Police Sergeant said that this sort of callousness is typical. Many street racers will often remark "I don' care officer, it's what I do, I'll take my chances in court."
In my country, they often do, with a grin on their faces (I've been to one of the trials), and they often find themselves getting a tap on the wrist.
So I hope this bill can deter more idiots from hitting the streets and hitting innocent lives.