Virginia cracks down on illegal street takeovers and reckless driving

Reckless drivers tearing up Virginia’s highways and public spaces may soon face tougher penalties, as legislation targeting exhibition driving heads to the governor’s desk.

Lawmakers moved swiftly this week, approving legislation that aims to curb street racing, burnouts, and illegal road takeovers — dangerous stunts that have turned deadly in recent years.

Between 2023 and 2024, Virginia circuit courts convicted four defendants for racing that resulted in fatalities, according to legislative records. On average, they served three and a half years in jail.

The problem extends beyond deadly crashes. Data from Virginia’s General District Court Case Management System, shows that 126 people were convicted of Class 1 misdemeanor racing over the past two years. While most avoided jail, 42.1% served an average of 20 days behind bars.

Illegal racing and reckless driving incidents have cropped up across the state, from Northern Virginia to Hampton Roads, Richmond and Virginia Beach. One particularly alarming case shared with lawmakers involved a Fairfax County police officer being surrounded by masked participants in a street takeover at 3 a.m. — an event where drivers and spectators block roads for dangerous stunts. Some struck the officer’s cruiser in the chaos.

“It’s not just an annoyance, it’s something that’s very, very dangerous and, quite honestly, potentially deadly,” said Del. David Bulova, D-Fairfax, who sponsored House Bill 2036.

Bulova’s bill broadens Virginia’s reckless driving laws to include exhibition driving—defined as aggressive driving near groups of two or more people. It specifically targets burnouts, doughnuts, drifting, street racing, and illegal takeovers on state highways, as well as driveways and parking lots of churches, schools, recreation centers, and businesses open to the public.

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said on the Senate floor Wednesday that the proposal will also clarify and enhance some penalties for certain types of driving, “which you might think could be reckless driving, but don’t always constitute reckless driving.”

Drivers caught participating in illegal street takeovers and reckless stunt driving could soon face harsher penalties, including up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine — either or both — under the proposal now headed to Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s desk. The measure also calls for a six-month license suspension and vehicle impoundment for offenders behind the wheel.

Passengers aren’t off the hook either. Those caught riding on a car’s hood or roof during such events would face a $500 fine.

The bill expands Virginia’s definition of reckless driving to include injuries and deaths caused by exhibition driving. Under existing state law, street racing that results in injury is a felony punishable by 1 to 20 years in prison. If a death occurs, offenders already face an additional mandatory year behind bars — but the proposal removes that minimum requirement.

A fiscal impact statement from the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission warns that the proposal could increase demand for bed space and resources at correctional facilities across the commonwealth.

Shortly after discussing the bill in committee, two House lawmakers said they unexpectedly encountered a street takeover not far from the state Capitol in Richmond.

On the night of Feb. 3, at the intersection of North 18th Street and East Broad Street, Dels. Laura Jane Cohen, D-Fairfax, and Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, found themselves stopped as a group of motorcyclists — unmasked and without helmets — performed stunts and wheelies in the middle of the road.

Cohen, who was driving behind Bennett-Parker, described the incident as “minor” but still “dangerous,” noting the risk posed to cyclists and other drivers stuck at the blocked intersection.

“I already was supportive of the legislation, but it certainly gave a renewed perspective,” Cohen said before the bill’s passage.

Some lawmakers raised concerns over the bill’s wording, particularly the use of terms like “close proximity” and “spectators” in defining exhibition driving. Before it reached the full Senate, Bulova amended the language to remove references to spectators.

Bulova acknowledged that holding onlookers accountable would have strengthened the bill but said a clear-cut solution proved elusive because he and others could not find a solution without inadvertently capturing individuals who happened to be in near vicinity of such events.

With final approval now in Youngkin’s hands, Virginia is one step closer to tightening its grip on reckless driving and illegal street stunts.

This article first appeared on Virginia Mercury and is republished here with permission. Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence.