Maryland lawmakers crack down on street takeovers

SILVER SPRING, Md. - Caught racing or doing donuts or burnouts in a car takeover, and in about a month, you could face stricter penalties.

This month, Maryland lawmakers voted to approve a bill cracking down on reckless driving across the state.

Dangerous car meetups and intersection takeovers showing cars spinning dangerously close to spectators have kept police busy from Montgomery to Prince George’s County and beyond.

House Bill 601, now passed, will increase the penalty from $500 to $1,000 in certain racing or reckless driving/exhibition driving situations. Actions prohibited include skidding, squealing, burning, or smoking tires, swerving, or swaying while skidding/drifting, purposefully revving your engines and grinding gears.

READ MORE: Reckless car meet-ups becoming a problem for Montgomery County police

The bill also increases the points to your license. Guilty offenders could be looking at 8 to 12 points if convicted.

Lawmakers also noted that because the bill now establishes imprisonment as a possible penalty, anyone cited must appear in court. Prepayment is no longer permitted.

It’s a mixed bag on whether people think it will help.

Maryland Delegate Mary Lehman sponsored the bill and reportedly noted the points increases as significant, because in the state of Maryland, eight points could mean suspending your license. Twelve could mean revoking it.

Once the Governor signs the bill into law, these changes are slated to start June 1st.