SPD runs street racers out of city limits in latest crackdown
May 12, 2025, 1:40 PM
Example of illegal street racing (Photo by Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
(Photo by Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Seattle police say they broke up multiple large street racing events late Saturday night, even following some racers outside of city limits to collect evidence of alleged crimes.
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) recently increased neighborhood patrols and deployed special response teams to crack down on illegal street racing throughout the city.
More than 100 cars were loitering near the 3500 block of 1st Avenue South, where officers say a nearby rave had gathered a large crowd. The SPD Community Response Group quickly cleared the area using loudspeakers on their police vehicles.
Soon after, around 10 other cars began parking in a lot near 4th Ave. and Denny Way. Police closely watched and followed the group until they left the city limits. Some drivers allegedly ignored traffic signals while leaving. Officers recorded their license plates and said traffic citations would be sent to the registered owners.
By 1:00 a.m., all racing activity had ended. SPD says the coordinated response helped maintain order and prevent the street racing from escalating.
SPD disrupts illegal street racing across Seattle
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The Seattle City Council started taking aim at street racing in 2023 with legislation sponsored by then-Councilmembers Lisa Herbold and Alex Pedersen focused on curbing drag racing and reckless driving. The ordinance initiated plans to install speed enforcement cameras in high-risk areas of the city where dangerous driving is a significant problem.
“Our community has been pleading for help for years to stop drag racing. (A 2023) crash on Alki Avenue Southwest shows just how dangerous conditions have become,” Herbold, who was the chair of the Public Safety Committee, said. “I’m proud to have partnered with neighbors and passed this first-of-its-kind legislation to make our streets safer.”
The legislation identified 10 high-risk areas across the city, including West Marginal Way, Sand Point Way, NE 65th Street near Magnuson Park, Seaview Avenue, 3rd Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Rainier Avenue, and two locations along Alki Avenue.
Seattle police say they will continue operating the street racing emphasis patrol until street racing activity in the city is significantly reduced.
