Five teenagers die in wrong-way motorway crash in County Kildare
Five teenage boys died in a head-on crash on the M9 in County Kildare after their stolen car drove the wrong way; three women and a child were seriously injured.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Five teenage boys have died in a head-on collision on the M9 motorway in County Kildare, Ireland, after the stolen car they were travelling in drove the wrong way along the carriageway. The crash happened in the early hours of Sunday. All five boys, who were in a black BMW, were pronounced dead at the scene. The other vehicle involved was carrying a family of four, three women and a seven-year-old boy, who were on their way to Dublin Airport to catch a flight for a wedding. The boy remains in a serious condition in hospital, while two of the women are critical and the third is seriously injured.
Gardaí have confirmed that they had attempted to stop the BMW before the collision but decided to abandon the pursuit, which is described as standard practice. The car had been reported stolen. Investigators are also looking into whether the teenagers were taking part in a social media craze that involves filming dangerous driving, including driving on the wrong side of the road, for online likes. The Irish Justice Minister said the issue is not unique to Ireland and called on social media companies to take responsibility.
The crash has prompted renewed calls for tougher action on dangerous driving. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said every death on our roads brings untold grief and that there can be no tolerance for reckless behaviour. It comes after another wrong-way crash near Dublin earlier this month left nine people injured. Forensic investigators have completed their examination of the scene, and post-mortem examinations on the five boys were expected to take place on Monday.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| Five teenagers died in a car crash. | ||
| A similar wrong-way crash near Dublin earlier this month left nine people injured. | · | |
| Police attempted to stop the car but ended the pursuit. | · | |
| Police will investigate whether the crash is linked to a social media craze of filming dangerous driving. | · | |
| The family in the other car were heading to Dublin Airport for a wedding. | · | |
| The vehicle involved was a stolen BMW. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
5 News focused on the social media angle, the Justice Minister's warning, and the fact that the car was stolen and police had abandoned the pursuit. The tone was factual but highlighted the wider issue of dangerous driving filmed for online likes, with a studio discussion adding context.
- “Police have described this as horrific.”
- “But this is an issue that's not unique to Ireland, this is happening in other countries, young men stealing cars, driving dangerously on the roads and videoing it for the purpose of social media postings.”
- “Now, I should also just point out the car driving in this particular incident on the wrong side was actually a stolen BMW.”
ITV Evening News led with the emotional impact on the local community and the family involved, while also covering the political reaction and calls for tougher action. The report from the scene emphasised the devastation and the family's lost holiday, and included the Taoiseach's statement.
- “The remnants of a car which should never even have been on this side of the road.”
- “This is completely crazy without respect for society and other road users.”
- “Every death on our roads brings untold grief to families and communities.”
Broadcast Timeline
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