12 dead in UK, Irish ‘wrong-side’ crashes (AP image)
The deaths take the toll from the recent UK and Irish crashes to 12. Reuters reported that the collision happened around 3:39 am near South Bank, east of Middlesbrough. The crash followed a police pursuit of a suspicious vehicle, Reuters reported.
Seven people, including two serving police officers, were killed early Saturday after a car travelling in the wrong direction on the A66 near Middlesbrough in northeastern England collided head-on with a marked police vehicle, according to police. Cleveland Police said all occupants of both vehicles died at the scene. Police said a Volkswagen Passat carrying five people was travelling on the wrong side of the A66 when it struck the police car, which was travelling in the correct direction. The two officers killed were identified as Matthew Blades and Tom Clough, Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said. “This tragic incident will be felt across Cleveland, within our communities and throughout the entire policing family,” Fuller said.
Twelve people have died in less than a week in separate crashes in Britain and Ireland involving vehicles being driven on the wrong side of major roads, with authorities warning that dangerous driving is being encouraged by social media. The circumstances surrounding the crash are still being investigated. The Independent Office for Police Conduct will review the incident, as is standard in cases involving police.
In another incident earlier this month, footage filmed inside a stolen car being pursued by police also emerged on social media, further fuelling concerns about videos promoting reckless driving.