Fort Worth city council members approved a new ordinance Tuesday night that would make it against the law to be a bystander at an illegal street race or stunt.
Officers would now be able to cite someone $500 and charge them with a misdemeanor.
Fort Worth's new police chief Neil Noakes points out if people are not interested in watching there would be no illegal activity.
The effort is similar to one in the City of Dallas and is part of a larger effort to crack down on illegal racing and street stunts that have resulted in thousands of complaints, several injuries and at least two deaths.
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There have been approximately 2,500 calls to Fort Worth police in the past 17 months related to street racing or reckless driving stunts, according to department data.
Last November, a Fort Worth couple was killed when they pulled into the path of two vehicles that were racing on West Risinger road between Hulen Street and Chisholm Trail Parkway.
Ben and Meg Arbour, both of whom were 39, left behind four children.
