A senior coroner has issued a stark warning that the pursuit of social media validation through dangerous driving is contributing to fatal road collisions. The alert follows an inquest into a devastating crash that claimed the lives of three teenagers, where the driver had a history of 'showing off' behind the wheel.
A Tragic Collision and a Pattern of Risk
Matilda 'Tilly' Seccombe, 16, and Harry Purcell, 17, died as passengers in a Ford Fiesta driven by their friend, Edward Spencer, then 17. The car collided with an oncoming Fiat at 64mph on the B4035 between Chipping Campden and Shipston-on-Stour in April 2023. A third teenager, Frank Wormald, also 16, was killed in the crash.
Spencer, from Newbold on Stour, Warwickshire, had passed his driving test just six weeks before the fatal incident. He later pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by careless driving. Warwick Crown Court heard he had a 'history of bad driving' and of 'showing off, taking risks, driving too quickly and failing to heed warnings'.
Disturbingly, messages revealed Tilly had previously challenged Spencer about his driving, telling him weeks before the crash: 'you could have rolled the car, and I will kill you if we don't die ourselves.' Her father, James Seccombe, 55, said she had also messaged a friend stating: 'It won't be long for me with Ed's driving.'
The Social Media 'Likes' Factor
Assistant Coroner Linda Lee, at Coventry Coroner's Court, highlighted a shift in the causes behind fatal crashes involving young motorists. She noted that inquests she had handled over the past five years 'used to involve racing' but now 'seems to be silly things [like] taking selfies'.
The inquest was shown videos of Spencer's dangerous driving prior to the collision, including overtaking a mobility scooter at over 50mph and bragging about reversing so fast he was 'going to crash'. Solicitor Patrick Maguire, representing Harry Purcell's family, urged the coroner to consider contacting social media companies, suggesting they have a 'duty to take this material down' as it 'subconsciously validates and encourages others'.
Coroner Lee agreed, stating: 'It is showing off. The videos get likes and comments, which drives the requirement.' She confirmed she would be issuing a Prevention of Future Deaths report following the case.
Calls for Stricter Laws and Lasting Consequences
The grieving families of Tilly and Harry have called for the government to introduce graduated driving licences. This would restrict newly qualified drivers from carrying young passengers in the months after passing their test. They also advocated for 'black box' telematics to incentivise safer driving.
The statistics underscore the urgency. Department for Transport figures for 2023 show around one fifth of all killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties in car collisions involved a young driver aged 17-24. Young male car drivers in that age group are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than drivers aged 25 and over.
Edward Spencer was sentenced to two years in a young offenders' institution and handed an eight-year driving ban. He must take an extended retest if he ever reapplies for a licence.
