LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles County officials Thursday launched a youth-focused public service campaign warning about the deadly consequences of illegal street racing and street takeovers.
The campaign features the true story of a young Los Angeles man whose three friends were killed in a street racing crash that later led to criminal prosecution against the survivor, according to the county Department of Youth Development.
Officials said the PSA was developed with feedback from young people participating in county youth justice programs, with organizers seeking messaging they believed would resonate more authentically with teenagers and young adults.
The central theme of the campaign is "Street Racing Kills — It's Just Not Worth It," reflecting what organizers described as the devastating emotional and legal consequences of street racing.
"Taking a youth-centric approach has helped us to be more effective in our prevention efforts," Department of Youth Development Director David J. Carroll said in a statement.
The campaign was developed in partnership with Street Racing Kills, a nonprofit founded by Lili Trujillo Puckett after her daughter was killed in a street racing crash.
"Young people told us they wanted honesty, and that's what this PSA delivers," Puckett said. "In a matter of seconds, lives can be lost, futures can change, and families can be shattered. It's just not worth it."
County officials said the campaign comes as the county's Street Takeover Reduction Workgroup continues efforts aimed at reducing illegal racing and takeover activity through enforcement, engineering and education.
The video opens with scenes of cars racing through city streets before a survivor recounts how a speeding car hit a bump, flipped repeatedly and split apart in a crash that killed his three closest friends. He later describes being charged with murder under an implied malice theory because authorities said the racing was so reckless, the deadly consequences should have been foreseeable. The PSA concludes with the message: "Don't be the reason someone doesn't make it home. Street racing kills. It's just not worth it."
The PSA will run on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook with support from the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Department and other agencies.
The video is available at bit.ly/DYDSRKPSA.
City News Service
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