A fatal collision on the M9 motorway in Ireland on 16 August, which resulted in the deaths of five teenagers and critical injuries to a family of four, has drawn attention to a TikTok driving trend involving filming reckless behaviour.
The incident occurred in the early hours when a BMW, believed to be occupied by young males who had broken into homes and cars in County Kildare, was driving the wrong way down the M9. It crashed into a Hyundai, injuring three sisters, Ella Hendricken, Niamh Kinsella, and Alma Kinsella, and Alma’s seven-year-old son. They were travelling to Dublin airport for a family wedding in the UK.
The teenagers who died were identified as Joe Carthy, 15, Kamil Pustkowski, Jack Kennedy, Alex McCarthy, all 17, and Jeremy O’Brien, 18. Several of them had reportedly posted videos of reckless driving previously.
The tragedy has prompted debate about policing, criminal justice, social services, and social media regulation. TikTok declined an invitation to address an Irish parliamentary committee on media, citing an ongoing police investigation and a separate investigation by the media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán.