There's a new effort underway to stop sideshows in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO — There's a new effort underway to stop sideshows.
The reckless driving has led to a number of crashes, injuries and property damage, and Sacramento city leaders are now trying to stop them before they start.
Illegal sideshows and drag racing is a growing problem in Sacramento.
"I and my staff get the calls all the time," said Sacramento Mayor Pro Tempore Mai Vang.
Vang, a city councilmember, has had sideshows break out in her own neighborhood.
"I live off Amhurst and Meadowview, so I hear it at night, I see it," she said.
She says they are a real danger to passing drivers and to people who live nearby.
"Donuts happening in intersections when there's traffic, when there's residents, pedestrians, and it could be really harmful for the community," Vang said.
Police say offenders often use social media to meet up, and one of the most common spots is the Delta Shores shopping center just off Interstate 5 in south Sacramento.
"We have seen as many as 200-300 vehicles show up for these events," said Capt. Daniel Monk of the Sacramento Police Department.
But city officials say there's a legal loophole that prevents police from pulling over dangerous drivers. So why can't officers break up sideshows inside the shopping center?
"We can't really enforce on private properties based on the California vehicle code," Vang said.
Because it's private property, tickets can't be written for offenses like speeding and reckless driving.
"Currently, there is no posted speed limit at Delta Shores," Monk said.
Now, there's an effort to fix that with the city council voting to change a city ordinance and allow police to make traffic stops inside the mall's lot.
"This section will give us additional tools to try and prevent some of the behavior before it occurs," Monk said.
"It will give us the tools to be able to deal with those that take their license plates off on purpose so that you cannot track their car," said Rick Jennings, Sacramento city councilmember.
It's an effort to put the brakes on this type of dangerous driving by stopping them before they hit the gas.
"It's happening throughout the entire city," Vang said.
The law has already been changed for the area around the Arden Fair Mall. City leaders are also working with state lawmakers to try and increase penalties for those participating in sideshows.