A66 crash latest: Social media firms told to take down dangerous driving content

24th August, 2026 | News

The UK government has urged social media companies to remove content promoting or celebrating dangerous driving following a fatal crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough that claimed the lives of seven people, including two police officers.

The government has spoken to TikTok about videos linked to a growing trend involving motorists driving on the wrong side of the road. Officials have described the promotion of such dangerous behaviour for entertainment and online engagement as unacceptable.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said social media platforms already have a responsibility to remove content that encourages illegal behaviour, while Ofcom has been given the government’s full backing to take action against platforms that fail to meet their obligations.

The warning follows the deaths of Cleveland Police officers PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, who were among seven people killed in Saturday’s A66 crash.

Road safety experts have also raised concerns about the increasing use of mobile phones by drivers to record videos, livestream their journeys or create content while behind the wheel.

Nicholas Lyes of IAM RoadSmart described the wrong-way driving trend as extremely reckless and dangerous, welcoming the government’s intervention.

Ofcom has separately warned social media companies that they must take steps to minimise children’s exposure to content promoting dangerous stunts and challenges. The regulator is already investigating TikTok over whether its age-checking measures adequately protect children from harmful content.

TikTok maintains that its policies prohibit content capable of causing significant physical harm, including dangerous driving, and says it removes videos and accounts that violate its rules.

Meanwhile, a fundraiser launched by the Cleveland Police Federation for the families of the two officers has raised more than £402,000 from over 15,000 donors within 24 hours, surpassing its original £400,000 target. The new fundraising target has been increased to £700,000, with the money to be shared equally between the families of PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough.