City council, police meet to talk uptick of racing on Tulsa streets

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa city councilors and two division commanders with the Tulsa Police Department met Wednesday morning to address what has been a noticeable and deadly increase in excessive speeding and racing on Tulsa streets.

The meeting was intended to bring those who make policy and those who enforce policy together to see what needs to be stepped up, increased, re-enforced, or reformed.

Councilors were told police are noticing an increase in excessive speeding and racing in younger drivers and some older drivers who are trying to gain or maintain notoriety.

TPD is increasing the amount of impounds of vehicles they are doing instead of just writing tickets for excessive speeding when someone is caught.

The increase in impounds is meant to give speeders and racers an extra headache and deter them from taking the risk.

Councilors talked about installing cameras across the city to catch speeders in the act and document cars and tags that are caught.

Most of the racers and speeders are 25 and under, and TPD is increasing messaging in schools and in communities about the fact that some recent drivers are now facing murder charges for crashes, increases in insurance when someone is caught doing these activities, and other consequences such as permanent injury from a crash.

This is the first of what will be many meetings to see where the law and the tools used to enforce it can be stepped up.

Drivers are encouraged to let racers pass them on the highway or try to get to safety by getting away from those who are racing

If someone has a dash camera or a passenger in the car can get video of the racing for evidence for police, that is currently being advised. Do not drive and take video simultaneously!

TPD said motorcycles are also turning into some of the biggest offenders of excessive speed simply because they are “thrill seeking”.

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