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Samantha Hayes ReportingIn less than two months new laws of the road go into effect, and you don't want find out about them after you get a ticket. New drivers especially need to listen up.
Most of these new laws directly affect young drivers and one of the laws is a direct result of an Eyewitness News investigation into street racing. Sixteen-year olds won't be able to use the same excuses or exemptions when it comes to driving at night and who's in the passenger seat.
Salt Lake City streets are their racetracks; an Eyewitness News investigation revealed it to you. Because of that report, AAA says Utah lawmakers stiffened penalties for street racing.
Rolayne Fairclough, AAA Utah: "We were able to show that video Channel 5 did with the investigative team and it really did open up the whole issue."
Under the new law, racers' vehicles will be impounded, they will be charged with a class B misdemeanor and there's a minimum license suspension of 60 days.
Lawmakers thought teenagers were getting away with nighttime driving exemptions and going places besides church and school activities.
Rolayne Fairclough, AAA Utah: "Other states were getting 15-20 percent decrease in teen crashes; we barely got a 5-percent decrease."
So for 16-year olds, there's no driving between 12 and 5 am, and no teenage passengers are allowed for the first six months they have their license.
Driving under the influence now includes drugs as well as alcohol. And causing serious injury while driving under the influence is now a 3rd degree felony. Harder drugs, other than marijuana, can result in a 2nd degree felony.
