Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Changes to Street Drag Racing Laws

This bill updates Tennessee's laws regarding street drag racing by expanding definitions and penalties.

What This Bill Does

• Expands the definition of 'street drag racing' to include challenges made on social media platforms, drifting stunts for spectators, and reckless driving.
• Defines a new term called 'drifting,' which involves steering a vehicle in a turn to lose traction and create a skid sideways.
• Increases penalties by making street drag racing a felony offense that can occur on commercial property and requiring impounding of vehicles used in the crime before conviction.
• Prohibits law enforcement from issuing citations instead of taking arrested individuals into custody for street drag racing.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who participate in or organize street drag races, including those who promote them on social media.
• Law enforcement officers dealing with street drag racing cases.
• Owners of vehicles used in street drag racing incidents.

Terms To Know

Street Drag Racing

Using motor vehicles for the purpose of performing stunts or reckless driving for spectators, including drifting and challenges made on social media.

Drifting

Steering a vehicle in a turn to make the rear wheels lose traction and create a skid sideways.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much it will cost local governments to enforce these new laws.
• It is unclear if there are any specific measures for educating the public about the new definitions and penalties.

Official Summary Text

This bill makes various changes to the offense of drag racing, as described below.

"DRAG RACING" DEFINED

Present law provides several definitions for "drag racing," including the use of any motor vehicle for the purpose of accepting or carrying out a challenge, made orally, in writing, or otherwise, made or received with reference to the performance abiliti
es of one or more motor vehicles. This bill adds to this definition challenges made on a social media platform.

This bill also changes "drag racing" to "street drag racing" and adds that the use of one or more motor vehicles for the purpose of performing motor vehicle drifting stunts or reckless driving for spectators is also street drag racing.

"PARTICIPANT" DEFINED

Present law defines a street drag racing "participant" as anyone who operates a motor vehicle for the purpose of drag racing, and anyone who arranges for, supervises, or in any way sets in motion any drag racing, regardless of whether or not the person m
ay be the operator of, or be a passenger in, any motor vehicle participating in drag racing. This bill adds to this definition anyone who promotes or organizes the street drag race. This bill also expands the definition so that any person who arranges f
or
, organizes, promotes, supervises, or in any way and manner sets in motion any street drag racing is a considered a participant for purposes of the law even if they do not drive, ride, or even attend the street drag race as a spectator.

"DRIFTING" DEFINED

This bill defines as a new term "drifting," which means the act of steering a vehicle in a turn in an attempt to make the rear wheel or wheels of the vehicle lose traction and create a controlled or uncontrolled skid sideways.

OFFENSE AND PENALTIES

Present law classifies street drag racing as a Class E felony, punishable by one to six years in prison and a jury-assessed fine up to $3,000, and any person who operates a motor vehicle on public highways of this state, or while on the premises of any s
hopping center, trailer park, any apartment house complex, or any other premises generally frequented by the public at large, or who is a participant (as defined above), for the purpose of street drag racing commits the offense of street drag racing unles
s
the premises are licensed for this purpose. This bill adds commercial property to the above list of places this offense can be committed.

Present law provides that any motor vehicle used to commit street drag racing or to flee afterward is, upon conviction for the offense, subject to seizure and forfeiture. This bill adds that the vehicle is also, prior to conviction, subject to being imp
ounded for the purpose of collecting evidence pertaining to the offense. All towing and impounding fees must be assessed against the person charged with the street drag racing violation.

This bill prohibits a law enforcement officer who has arrested a person for street drag racing from issuing a citation to the arrested person in lieu of the continued custody and the taking of the arrested person before a
magistrate.

RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT

This bill creates the assaultive offense of reckless endangerment by street drag racing, which is a Class E felony. In addition to the Class E felony penalty, the court must also assess a fine of $50 for reckless endangerment.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 1449
By Gillespie

SENATE BILL 1474
By Taylor

SB1474
008375
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7;
Title 39; Title 40; Title 55 and Title 68, relative to
street drag racing.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-501(1), is amended by
deleting "Drag racing" and substituting "Street drag racing".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-501(1), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(F) The use of one (1) or more motor vehicles for the purpose of performing
motor vehicle drifting stunts or reckless driving for spectators;
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-501(1)(E), is amended by
deleting "made orally, in writing, or otherwise" and substituting "made orally, on a social media
platform, in writing, or otherwise".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-501, is amended by deleting
subdivision (2) and substituting:
(2) "Participant" means a person who operates a motor vehicle upon the public
highways of this state, or that of any municipality or political subdivision thereof, for the
purpose of street drag racing, and also any person who arranges for, organizes,
promotes, supervises, or in any way and manner sets in motion any street drag racing,
regardless of whether or not such person may be the operator of, a passenger in, or a
spectator of any motor vehicle participating in street drag racing; and
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-501, is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:

- 2 - 008375

( ) "Drifting" means the act of steering a vehicle in a turn in an attempt to make
the rear wheel or wheels of the vehicle lose traction and create a controlled or
uncontrolled skid sideways;
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-502(a), is amended by
deleting "shopping center, trailer park" and substituting "shopping center, commercial property,
trailer park".
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-502, is amended by deleting
subsection (c) and substituting:
(c) A motor vehicle used to commit the offense of street drag racing or to flee
after the commission of the offense of street drag racing is:
(1) Subject to being impounded for the purpose of collecting evidence
pertaining to the offense. All towing and impounding fees must be assessed
against the person charged with a violation of subsection (a).
(2) Upon conviction for the offense, subject to seizure and forfeiture as
provided in title 40, chapter 33, part 1.
SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-502, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(d) A law enforcement officer who has arrested a person for the commission of
the offense of street drag racing shall not issue a citation to the arrested person in lieu of
the continued custody and the taking of the arrested person before a magistrate.
SECTION 9. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-502, is amended by deleting
"Drag racing" and substituting "Street drag racing" and by deleting "drag racing" wherever it
appears and substituting "street drag racing".
SECTION 10. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-503, is amended by deleting
"drag racing" wherever it appears and substituting "street drag racing".

- 3 - 008375

SECTION 11. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-103(b), is amended by
adding the following new subdivision (b)(5) and resdesignating the current subdivision (b)(5) as
subdivision (b)(6):
(5) Reckless endangerment by street drag racing, as defined in § 55-10-501, is a
Class E felony.
SECTION 12. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-3-312(b)(4), is amended by
deleting "Drag racing" and substituting "Street drag racing".
SECTION 13. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-213(a)(3), is amended by
deleting "drag racing" and substituting "street drag racing".
SECTION 14. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 40-4-122(b)(4), is amended by
deleting "Drag racing" and substituting "Street drag racing".
SECTION 15. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-206(b), is amended by
deleting "drag racing" and substituting "street drag racing,".
SECTION 16. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-306(b)(2), is amended by
deleting "drag racing" and substituting "street drag racing".
SECTION 17. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-10-307(b)(4), is amended by
deleting "Drag racing" and substituting "Street drag racing".
SECTION 18. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-55-306, is amended by deleting
"drag racing" and substituting "street drag racing".
SECTION 19. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.