Purpose
San Diego Municipal Code § 52.5301
in effect§52.5301 Purpose
The City Council of the City of San Diego finds and declares that pursuant to California Vehicle Code section 23109, motor vehicle speed contests and exhibitions of speed conducted on public streets and highways are illegal. Motor vehicle speed contests and exhibitions of speed are more commonly known as street races or drag races. Streets and highways within the City of San Diego have been the site of continuing and escalating illegal street racing over the past several years. Such street racing threatens the health and safety of the public, interferes with pedestrian and vehicular traffic, creates a public nuisance, and interferes with the right of private business owners to enjoy the use of their property within the City of San Diego. Illegal street racers accelerate to high speeds without regard to oncoming traffic, pedestrians, or vehicles parked or moving nearby. Traffic accidents, property crimes, and calls for police service have increased dramatically. In 2002, the street racing fatality rate on San Diego city streets was termed “epidemic.” Last year, 35 percent of vehicle occupant fatalities on city streets were related to illegal motor vehicle speed contests.
The City Council of the City of San Diego finds it is necessary and appropriate to take additional steps to protect public health and safety. This division is adopted to declare that vehicles used in violation of California Vehicle Code sections 23109(a) and (c) are a nuisance and will be forfeited to the city. The civil forfeiture of these nuisance vehicles will prevent the needless loss of life and property damage associated with illegal motor vehicle speed contests and exhibitions of speed.
(“Purpose” added 4–21–2003 by Ordinance O–19167 N.S.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter05/Ch05Art02Division53.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/28/2026