BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — Agencies across Broward County came together ahead of Memorial Day Weekend to crack down on street takeovers, as they are calling them dangerous to both law enforcement and the public.
The reckless events, often involving drivers spinning donuts and blocking intersections across South Florida, have become a growing problem in recent years. Now, local agencies are launching a zero-tolerance enforcement campaign to stop the chaos.
“Over the past several years, we have seen several reckless driving behaviors escalate into crashes, injuries, intimidation of motorists, assaults on officers, property damage, dangerous disruptions to traffic flows,” said Fort Lauderdale police chief Bill Schultz.
During a multi-agency news conference, officials showed video of a recent arrest in Fort Lauderdale involving a man accused of fleeing police and driving recklessly. Authorities said he is one of thousands of people arrested or cited across Florida this year.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said residents have been frustrated with the issue for years.
“This has been an issue close to my heart for many years because I’ve heard directly from neighbors throughout Fort Lauderdale,” Trantalis said.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, there were 13,835 citations issued for street racing or stunt driving between 2020 and 2026. Officials said most participants are between 16 and 29 years old.
Fort Lauderdale police said since January 2022, officers have made 118 arrests connected to takeovers and reckless driving, along with filing 343 misdemeanor charges and 149 felony charges.
Police say they’ll continue stepping up enforcement throughout the holiday weekend, with a clear warning for anyone planning to participate.
“The message today is clear: reckless ATV, automobile, motorcycle and e-bike driving will not be tolerated in Fort Lauderdale or any of our jurisdictions in Broward County,” Schultz said.
Officials also reminded the public that even watching a street takeover as a spectator can still result in a non-criminal traffic citation.
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