‘Wrong-side’ driving trend: 12 deaths in Britain, Ireland linked to social media buzz

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.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. 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. 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.