BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Two proposed bills addressing exhibition driving will go before state lawmakers when the regular session gavels back on March 21.

Lawmakers say exhibition driving like doing donuts, drag racing and burnouts is becoming a big problem across the state, especially in Birmingham.

“We’re tired of it. People are tired of not feeling safe in their own neighborhoods,” Representative Juandalynn Givan said.

Givan and state Representative Allen Treadaway partnered together to create bipartisan legislation aimed to crack down on exhibition driving.

“We’ve got to take this much more serious than we have been in the past because we’re seeing more and more injuries and/or deaths that occur at these events,” Treadaway said.

Givan’s House Bill 107, cosponsored by Treadaway, is specifically for Jefferson County and has civil punishments for those caught exhibition driving. On the first offense, the bill says the person’s car will be impounded for 10 days and the individual will be responsible for paying the towing and storage fees for the car. For each additional offense, the length of time the car is impounded goes up by 10 days, capping at 30 days.

“If they don’t break the law, they don’t have to worry about it,” Givan said. “But we need to send a message to them, if you go out there and you drag race or you do burnouts or you continue with this exhibition driving, whatever you want to dub it or call it, there’s a punishment for it.”

Treadaway’s House Bill 29 could create a statewide criminal law against exhibition driving. The bill states someone’s first offense could get them up to 90 days in jail plus a fine of up to $500. Further offenses where no one is hurt could result in jail time of up to six months, a fine of up to $500 and license suspension of up to six months.

The punishments in HB29 continue to get steeper if the exhibition driving results in property damage, physical injury or death of another person.

“When we start taking these individual’s vehicles away, their freedom away and their privilege to drive on the streets of Alabama, I think that you’ll see a lot less of this type activity and that’s why we’ve got to take it serious,” Treadaway said.

Both Givan and Treadaway are optimistic their bills will become law. Givan says that should both pass, people in Jefferson County caught exhibition driving can face civil and criminal punishments.