UK Calls on Social Media Platforms to Remove Videos Glorifying Dangerous Driving

The UK government has called on TikTok and other social media platforms to remove videos that celebrate dangerous driving, following the deaths of seven people in a devastating crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough.

Two police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, were among those killed when a Volkswagen Passat was travelling on the wrong side of the road and collided with their police vehicle in the early hours of Saturday.

Five people travelling in the Volkswagen also died in the collision.

The tragedy has renewed scrutiny of online videos showing reckless driving, including footage in which motorists appear to deliberately drive at speed or perform dangerous manoeuvres for social media audiences.

Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the government had contacted platforms including TikTok and urged them to take responsibility for material that encourages or celebrates dangerous behaviour on Britain's roads.

He said the platforms now had an opportunity to demonstrate that they could deal with harmful content themselves by removing posts that glorify reckless driving.

The call comes amid reports that one of the young people who died in the A66 crash may previously have shared videos depicting dangerous driving online. Police have stressed, however, that there is currently no evidence that the activities leading up to the

crash were filmed specifically for TikTok.

Cleveland Police has described the circumstances surrounding the collision as a serious and complex investigation. Officers have also arrested a number of people as they examine alleged criminal activity connected to the events before the crash.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is separately investigating the police pursuit that preceded the collision.

The deaths have prompted an outpouring of tributes for the two officers, while the wider investigation continues.

For ministers, the debate now extends beyond the crash itself: they want social media companies to act before dangerous driving content encourages others to imitate what they see online.

The message from the government is clear — videos that turn reckless driving into entertainment should not be allowed to remain on social media platforms.