Birmingham’s former roads chief has urged stricter controls on laughing gas amid increasing public concern over fatal crashes involving multiple casualties. Majid Mahmood, who served as the city’s transport boss during the Labour administration’s 2024 road safety emergency declaration, has spoken out following a series of tragic incidents.
Now an Independent councillor, Mr Mahmood joined other politicians in criticising social media platforms for amplifying videos of dangerous behaviours such as police chases and reckless driving. However, he emphasised that the use of nitrous oxide-commonly known as laughing gas-among young drivers also poses a significant threat.
In 2023, 19-year-old Thomas Johnson caused the deaths of three friends in Oxfordshire after inhaling nitrous oxide while driving and colliding with a tree at around 100mph. Mr Mahmood expressed his alarm, stating, “I am very concerned about the growing culture of dangerous driving being filmed and shared on social media. I believe social media platforms must recognise their responsibility when their algorithms amplify such content.”
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He continued, “We need to examine wider factors contributing to dangerous driving in our communities. In Birmingham, illegal use of nitrous oxide in vehicles is a serious issue. I have witnessed the worries this causes locally and believe stronger enforcement is necessary, including cracking down on outlets supplying this gas illegally.”
The focus on reckless driving intensified after a recent crash near Middlesbrough resulted in the deaths of seven people, including two police officers. A Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way on the A66 collided with a marked police car. One of the five passengers, 18-year-old Makai Saddington, was reportedly linked to a now-deleted TikTok video showcasing dangerous driving behaviour prior to the crash.
Earlier that same week, five teenagers died and four others were injured following a collision on the M9 motorway in the Republic of Ireland when their vehicle travelled the wrong way. Multiple individuals involved had previously posted videos of risky driving online.
The UK government has urged social media companies to swiftly remove content that glorifies dangerous driving. Prime Minister Andy Burnham condemned the glorification of such behaviour as “utterly disgraceful.”
Local campaign group Better Streets for Birmingham highlighted social media’s role in normalising and trivialising hazardous driving. They noted recent incidents where illegal street-racing events were organised via platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, including a fatal car meet in Oldbury in 2022 where two teenagers lost their lives.
The group advocates for stronger measures to reduce dangerous driving, such as safer road designs, appropriate speed limits, increased enforcement, and better protection for pedestrians and cyclists. “Our roads should be designed to minimise the chance of dangerous behaviour, rather than relying solely on individuals to make the right choices,” their spokesperson added.
Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles, who has addressed speeding and anti-social driving through local public meetings, described the problem as a “long-standing issue,” particularly noting increased summertime activity with drivers using ring roads and car parks for racing and showing off.
She stressed the importance of social media platforms removing videos that encourage such behaviour, saying, “These videos are shared for validation and likes, which fuels the problem. Taking that away is one small part of the solution.”
There is widespread support for a coordinated approach involving the government, local authorities, police, and social media companies to tackle the rise in dangerous driving linked to online trends.
Members of the public who witness driving offences in the West Midlands and have relevant footage from dashcams, CCTV, or mobile phones are encouraged to submit evidence to West Midlands Police through official channels.