How can reckless teenage driving be prevented?

[UncleColm]

We had that terrible crash recently in the UK which resulted in 7 deaths - RIP to the two Police Officers who were on duty.

In Ireland we had a very similar crash the previous week where five boys died - aged 15 to 17. All were wearing balaclavas at the time of the crash and were 'well known' to Guards. The family they crashed into were three sisters and a seven year old son of one of the sisters (on the way to the airport go to a family wedding) - they are all still in hospital and are very seriously injured.

The previous week, in Ireland, a car carrying eight teenage boys aged from as young as 13 crashed into a car being driven in the correct direction by one young man who is now seriously injured.

The boys seem to be from a mix of poor areas and Travellers. In death they are being celebrated by their families but where were these families when they were alive? Who lets their teenage boy out all night? And let's them produce tiktoks of their 'exploits'? Parental supervision is clearly not in place.

How can this reckless driving behaviour be stopped?

In Ireland there is a huge shortage of jail spaces and places to detain a child under 18. These kids couldn't care less if the Guards catch them - sure what's another Juvenile Caution to them? One of the boys who died was supposed to stay in his own County but had ignored it. They have no fear of the Guards or the law.

I work in a school and there is a huge amount of help available to Traveller children in particular but they still tend to not engage with any after school activities, don't do homework, don't go on school trips, leave school early, high absence rate, etc.

I read recently that, in Ireland, 50% of Travellers don't live beyond 39. In 2026 this a shocking statistic. I don't know what the statistics are for the poor, disadvantaged areas but I do know that the taxpayers provide Social Housing, child benefit, medical cards, free education, free school books and hot lunches, back to school allowances and a whole other host of allowances. There are many initiatives available to help people to stay in education and gain independence.

What more can be done? Is there any way of reaching these young males?

That’s so cruel.

Here we go. I did “Chatty Petey” query;

California: no passengers under 20 for the first 12 months (limited family exception). Studies found a 38% reduction in crashes involving 16-year-olds where a teen passenger was injured/killed.
North Carolina: maximum 1 passenger under 21; passenger-related crashes among 16-year-olds fell 32% after the restriction was introduced.
National evidence: no passengers → 21% fewer fatal crashes among 15–17-year-old drivers; allowing one passenger → about 7% fewer.

No it's certainly not always, the cases, but there is a direct correlation between poor parenting and children "going off the rails".

A friend of my parents raised her two children in a nice home. Both children exceptionally bright. One discovered drugs and life went downhill from there, despite the best efforts from the parents, rehab etc... and he ended up dead. The sister ended up with a 1st class degree from Cambridge!

Hormones cause a lot of problems, but I do know a lot of parents just give up rather than keep trying different things. I've seen so much neglect as a teacher it really makes me wonder why some people have children.

I also taught 3 boys who were in a car crash that killed all but one in the car. They thought it would be funny to drive at high speeds whilst high on nitrous oxide. Of those three that I knew, two came from homes where I'd say parenting was limited and boundaries almost non existent.

Yes I agree with you. Small villages can be like that though, especially when the victim was from a prominent family.

The driver's family was not a dysfunctional family. I went to school with his brother who was a nice and quiet kid.

Imagine ruining your family's life and that of another family because you wanted to show off.

Apparently balloon releases are being held for two of the joy riders today. Fucking balloon release 😡. Jesus wept.

Thankyou for answering. I do see what you mean.

Im just not sure how you do get over your child (even when they are an adult) killing someone in the way that’s been described here.

Im not sure staying would stop those emotions either.

it’s a really complex topic.

At any rate, it’s Darwinism in action.

Non- survival of the irretrievably dangerous and stupid, before they have had a chance - we hope - to reproduce.

It’s just appalling that they’ve taken useful, thoroughly deserving lives with them.

No doubt the balloon release will turn into a big piss-up afterwards in the local pub

According to one article there’s a post on SM “those you knew use knew use …..” then something about how wonderful they were with hearts of gold (paraphrased)

But then again weren’t the Kay twins described as having hearts of gold and being mummies boys?!

It's got me thinking about politics really. I think this is where socialist policies end up.

People who are completely unwilling to take the consequences of their own choices and their own actions. Everything is always someone else's responsibility/fault. Generations of it.

Unfortunately one of them did reproduce and has a 1 year old child who he fathered at 16 (his mum posted on Facebook how proud she was of her son for becoming a teen dad...). The teenage mum of the child has been very vocal on Facebook. In February she made a barely comprehensible Facebook post moaning that the baby hadn't seen his dad since he was a newborn and was slating the dad. Then more recently she made a post joking about how her toddler (who wasn't even 18 months old at the time) won't stop swearing. Of course now the lad is dead she's going on about how much she is going to miss him. The child doesn't stand a chance

i also read it was neat to the site of the crash too.

Sick fuckers

You can make as many laws, put in so many restrictions, black boxes in cars whatever . All it does is penalise normal folk behaving in a normal fashion.
arseholes who steal cars, bikes and drive like they are invincible won’t and don’t give a shit about laws and speed limits.

Car, bike, van Insurance is high due to accident statistics

Under 25s - Think they will live forever
Over 80s - Need more medical checks, complacency, loss of independance

Unless we live in a world of drverless automatic machines. There is no one solution.

I used to drive lots more miles

I have seen on motorways;
Cars stopped dead in the middle lane, other cars swerving at 70 mph
Deer
Swans
Vehicle fires
People walking
Zero visibility due to different types of bad weather
Road closures
Cyclists
Spilled loads
Unsecure loads

The variables are too many

In a similar way to the restrictions on HGV's, compulsory 66 MPH speed limiters on all cars, vans and motor bikes not owned by the emergency services. Yes it will piss a lot of people off, mainly the ones who can't keep to the limit.

So who is her toddler copying all the swearing from?

No prizes for guessing….
It’s so depressing, though.

I really liked “we need to talk about Kevin” because it showed the mum who supported her son despite him committing a school massacre and killing his family. Because I think I’d be the same. It’s hard to imagine being ashamed of your children, finding it more important that strangers know how much you disapprove rather than doing the best you can with your child- be that in their memory, or whilst they’re in prison.

rather than run away in shame how much more powerful would it be to tell your story to young men in schools/ colleges/ young offenders centres and try and change their course of their lives?

despite the idea being ridiculed on another thread I have experience of a colleague whilst child was murdered and that’s what they do. Raise awareness, support the community.

That’s admirable. Not running away in shame

It would stop some people's fun but cars need to not be able to go over a certain speed. It's ridiculous that cars can go well over the speed limit anyway!

Sterilise the ferals. This generation is lost but you can stop more being bred .

Now that would be an interesting MN discussion. People who are likely to contribute nothing to society and indeed seem hell bent on making it much worse. The type of people that most of Mumsnet use their money to avoid under the guise of 'prioritising their DCs education and access to cultural enrichment'. Should they be prevented from reproducing?

Thankyou. I’ve not read that but am avid reader so will add it to my list.

@Hossunat what a miserable thing to have to listen to fifteen times a day. They will be the same parents who have ranted at sports coaches / referees / teachers/ school admin staff / other parents /volunteers at cubs or brownies through the child's life since about the age of three because "my child wouldn't do that / I don't believe you/ it's your fault because you spoke to him in the wrong way etc. etc. etc." Most teenagers are great, they tend to be the ones who have been taught how to respect others and not see themselves as the big I am.

Yes this is a big issue, I have a similar background to yourself & my family's attitude towards Police etc was disgusting & the disrespect filters down to the children, alongside this is that when these kid's get in trouble with the Police there is no shame, they are celebrated.

2 of the 17 year olds were arrested previously for driving without a licence.

So even if you put measures in place not like everyone would follow them..