New law set to tighten grip on illegal street racing in Washington starting Jan. 1

WASHINGTON — A new law to crack down on street racing is set to take effect on Jan. 1.

The new law raises the stakes for drivers who take part in these events and put people in danger. It also expands the definition of illegal street racing to include areas like parking garages and parking lots where we’ve seen many of these takeovers happen.

This week marked five months since Tina Madden lost her daughter, Essence Greene, in a shooting at a street stunting event in Capitol Hill.

The family honored Greene with a Christmas tree at her grave site, decorated in her favorite colors for her favorite holiday.

RELATED: Mother remembers daughter fatally shot at illegal street racing event on Capitol Hill

“We wanted to let her know we were thinking about her because her favorite holidays were Christmas and her birthday, so we wanted to make sure we recognized her on that day,” Madden shared.

Madden said her daughter had been attending the Capitol Hill Block Party that night in the same area, and events like this block people from getting home safely.

“My daughter went to a block party. She didn’t go to watch people spin their cars around,” Madden said, “Then they make it hard for people to get in, the police to disperse or do anything. If some violence happens, what do you do?”

Starting the first of the year, a new law in Washington state has drivers who take part in these events facing more serious consequences. Drivers can now get their cars impounded on the first offense and taken away on the second.

“What we were seeing is ticketing was not working, that same car would be back again later that evening, it would be back again the next night, so if we can take that car off the street, get that person to think a little bit,” Kent Mayor Dana Ralph, who testified in favor of the law earlier this year, said.

RELATED: Unruly crowd in Capitol Hill blocks Seattle police from illegal street racing event

The new law also expands the definition of illegal street racing to include areas like intersections, parking lots, and parking garages where the takeovers happen. Those found aiding and abetting these events can also be charged as accomplices.

“That gets to be very scary, filling up the parking lots on the side, the drifting in the intersections, it’s extremely dangerous,” Mayor Ralph said.

As for Madden, she’s supportive of the new law and hopes it will make a difference.

“I feel like more needs to be done in a lot of areas, but it’s a step towards a change,” Madden said. “To them, it’s fun, but to other people in the community, it’s not. It’s dangerous, and it puts other people in dangerous positions.”

Typically, with new laws, there's sometimes a grace period as people are educated on what's changed, but city officials who spoke with KOMO News for this story said they do plan to enforce this one as soon as it takes effect Jan. 1.