DOT Videos Aim to Improve Road Safety
The British government has called on social media companies to remove videos that celebrate dangerous driving, following a series of deadly crashes in the United Kingdom and Ireland involving vehicles traveling the wrong way on major roads.
Officials Target Dangerous-Driving Videos
The government said platforms should remove footage showing high-speed car chases, vehicles being driven on footpaths and motorists traveling on the wrong side of the road. The request follows reports that videos depicting risky driving are being widely shared online, with officials warning that social-media attention may be encouraging behavior that endangers other road users.
BBC Verify identified dozens of videos showing intentionally dangerous driving, including footage recorded by occupants of vehicles racing along busy roads. The videos have appeared on multiple platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and X.
Fatal Crashes Increase Scrutiny
The issue has drawn additional attention after several fatal incidents. At approximately 3:30 a.m. British Summer Time on Saturday, two police officers were killed when a Volkswagen Passat collided with their marked vehicle on the A66 motorway.
Authorities have also raised concerns about a possible connection between deadly crashes and online videos that appear to glorify wrong-way driving and other dangerous behavior. The government’s call applies broadly to social-media companies rather than to a single platform.
Online Safety Act Powers
The government said it will use powers available under the Online Safety Act to compel platforms to remove content that remains online and promotes dangerous conduct on the roads.
Mary Aiken, a professor of forensic cyberpsychology at the University of East London, said the desire to gain excitement and peer approval through risky behavior is not new, but social media has amplified its reach.
IAM RoadSmart reported that one in seven drivers under age 24 had filmed themselves while driving during the previous year. The organization said some of that footage later appeared on social-media platforms.
