Joyriding, Dangerous Driving & Social Media: What Does the Law Say?
Videos of stolen cars, high-speed driving and Garda pursuits are becoming increasingly visible on social media, with dangerous behaviour being filmed, edited and shared as entertainment.
Joyriding itself is not new. Social media has simply given it a new audience. Behind the videos are real offences, real risks and serious consequences. So, what does Irish law actually say?
What is joyriding?
“Joyriding” is the term commonly used when someone takes or uses a vehicle without the owner's permission, often without intending to keep it permanently.
Under Section 112 of the Road Traffic Act 1961, it is an offence to use or take possession of a vehicle without the consent of the owner or other lawful authority.
The penalties can be serious, ranging from fines of up to €5,000 and 12 months in prison for less serious cases, to fines of up to €20,000 and 5 years in prison for more serious cases.
What if you're only a passenger?
This is an important part of the law that people may not realise. You do not necessarily have to be the person who took the car or the person driving it.
Section 112 also covers someone who knows the vehicle has been taken without permission and allows themselves to be carried in it, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.
“I wasn't driving” doesn't automatically mean there can be no legal consequences.
Getting into a car that you know has been taken without permission can create its own legal problems.
What is dangerous driving?
Taking a vehicle without permission is one offence, but how that vehicle is driven can lead to further charges. Dangerous driving means driving in a way that puts, or is likely to put, other people at risk.
This could include behaviour such as:
- Driving at extremely high speeds
- Driving the wrong way into traffic
- Dangerous overtaking
- Driving in a way that puts passengers, pedestrians or other road users at serious risk
Dangerous driving is not simply another word for speeding. The way the vehicle is being driven and the circumstances around it are important.
What are the consequences?
Dangerous driving can result in a fine of up to €5,000, up to 6 months in prison, or both.
If dangerous driving causes death or serious bodily harm, the consequences become much more serious. More serious cases can result in up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to €20,000, or both. A driving disqualification can also apply.
When dangerous driving becomes social media content
Social media has changed how this behaviour can be seen and shared. A dangerous drive can now be filmed by someone inside the vehicle and uploaded almost immediately. Videos can then be shared, reposted and viewed by large audiences.
This creates a particular challenge for young people.
A video may make the behaviour look exciting or entertaining while leaving out the parts that happen afterwards, such as an arrest, a court appearance, a driving disqualification, an injury or, in the most serious cases, a death.
Views and likes do not change the law.
Posting criminal behaviour online can create another problem: the footage may be relevant to a Garda investigation. A video could potentially show the vehicle involved, who was present, where an incident happened or how the vehicle was being driven.
Understanding the law matters
What appears online as a short video can involve behaviour carrying very serious consequences. For young people, understanding the law around taking a vehicle, being a passenger and dangerous driving can make the difference between recognising a risky situation and becoming part of one.
At LawEd, we believe legal education should give young people practical information they can actually use, particularly when the law connects with situations and trends they are already seeing in everyday life.