The California Highway Patrol is rolling out the next step in its extended campaign against side shows and takeovers, placing billboards throughout the state to warn drivers of the dangers of these exhibitions. One billboard goes a step further: next to the actual PSA Los Angeles is a staged crash of a Lamborrghini Huracan, which was apparently crashed at an earlier date.
The campaign against side shows is part of an extended street racing crackdown, which the CHP says peaked with 7300 incidents and just under 123,000 participants in 2021. Those numbers have since decreased significantly, with the same organization marking a 50% decline last year, but the heavily promoted campaign continues.
The Huracan is the most high-profile of more than 50 displays meant to draw attention to those risks throughout the state. Another setup features a crashed Chevrolet Camaro convertible, which is positioned next to banners with photos and names of people who have died in events relating to either takeovers or street racing.
The Huracan is set up on Melrose in Los Angeles, where it was rolled out alongside a press conference about the specific goals of the campaign. In that press conference, the Los Angeles Police Chief singled out the Fast & Furious franchise as part of the problem and suggested that these dangers may be related to drivers wanting to copy stunts seen in those films. Given that the latest installment of that series released on Friday, the timing of the campaign does not seem coincidental.
