§ 32:65 — Drag racing and racing on public roads and certain property; exemptions

Louisiana § 32:65

• Jurisdiction: Louisiana
• Title 32: Levees

Text

§65. Drag racing and racing on public roads and certain property; exemptions
A. No person shall drive any vehicle in any race, speed competition or contest, drag
race or acceleration contest, test of physical endurance, exhibition of speed or acceleration,
or for the purpose of making a speed record upon the public roads in this state or upon any
publicly-owned or privately-owned property to which the public's access is not prohibited,
and no person shall in any manner participate in any such race, speed competition, drag race,
test of physical endurance, exhibition, or attempt to make a speed record.
B. For the purposes of this Section, "drag race" means the operation of two or more
vehicles from a point side by side at accelerating speeds in a competitive attempt to
outdistance each other, or the operation of one or more vehicles over a common selected
course, from the same point to the same point, for the purpose of comparing the relative
speeds or power of acceleration of such vehicle or vehicles within a certain distance or time
limit.
C. For the purposes of this Section, "race" means the use of one or more vehicles in
an attempt to outgain, outdistance, or prevent another vehicle from passing, or to test the
physical stamina or endurance of drivers.
D. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this Section shall be punished
as follows:
(1) If there is no serious personal injury involved, the person shall be subject to the
penalties as provided in R.S. 32:57.
(2)(a) If, during the course of commission of the violation, a serious bodily injury
or death occurs which is in any way connected to the violation, the penalty shall be a fine of
not less than five hundred or more than two thousand dollars or imprisonment, with or
without hard labor for not less than one year or more than five years, or both.
(b) For the purposes of this Paragraph, "serious bodily injury" means bodily injury
which involves unconsciousness; protracted and obvious disfigurement; protracted loss or
impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty; or a substantial risk
of death.
E. The prohibitions contained in this Section shall not apply to events sanctioned by
local governing authorities.
F. Any law enforcement agency authorized to enforce traffic regulations in this state
shall have the authority to impound, at the owner's expense, any vehicle driven in a manner
that violates this Section for up to fourteen days to gather evidence pertaining to the offense.
If the owner of the vehicle has not violated this Section, that owner may claim the vehicle
from the impound facility once notified by law enforcement. In addition, if the vehicle driven
in a manner that violates this Section has been rented from a car rental agency, only the
driver of the vehicle shall be subject to higher fines and the total cost of impound fees. The
car rental agency, or person who owns the vehicle, may claim the vehicle from the impound
facility once notified by law enforcement.
G.(1) In addition to any penalties imposed pursuant to this Section, upon violation
the offender shall be fined an additional amount as follows:
(a) Ten dollars for a first offense.
(b) Twenty dollars for a second offense.
(c) Forty dollars for a third offense.
(d) One hundred dollars for a fourth or subsequent offense.
(2) Monies collected pursuant to this Subsection shall be forwarded by the sheriff
to the state treasurer within thirty days of collection.
(3) After allocation to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund as provided in
Article VII, Section 9(B) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the state treasurer shall deposit the
collections into the Louisiana Emergency Response Network Fund as established in R.S.
40:2845.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1972, No. 247, §1. Acts 1987, No. 419, §1; Acts 2007, No. 128, §1; Acts 2024, No. 318, §1; Acts 2025, No. 194, §2, eff. June 8, 2025.