M9 Tragedy: Minister Vows New Law for Wrong-Way Drivers After Five Teens Die

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan has confirmed the Government is looking at creating a new criminal offence for drivers who deliberately go the wrong way down a motorway, following the horror M9 crash that killed five teenage boys.

The boys died when the BMW they were travelling in, going against traffic, collided with an oncoming vehicle on Sunday. The news has shaken communities across the country, and the Minister's words on Monday carried the weight of a nation grieving and angry.

What new measures are being introduced for gardaí?

For the first time in the State, gardaí will receive specialist training in pursuing stolen vehicles and those driving the wrong way on motorways. This training will begin this year. Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly also confirmed that drones will be used in pursuits of stolen vehicles.

Mr O'Callaghan praised the Commissioner for taking this step.

He will be the first commissioner to do that. I commend him for doing so, and I support him in doing that,

he said.

Will driving the wrong way become a separate offence?

Currently, dangerous driving is an offence, but the Minister believes a distinct charge is needed. He has spoken with Transport Minister Darragh O'Brien about separating this specific behaviour from general dangerous driving.

That is using a vehicle as a weapon, and it is a lethal form of behaviour that, as we saw over the weekend, results in deaths and serious injuries,

he said.

His message to those engaged in this behaviour was stark:

You'll end up in jail, or you'll end up in a grave.

What about the recent spate of similar crashes?

The Minister referenced another crash on the M50 last week, where eight teenagers in one car crashed after driving the wrong way. He said the behaviour is happening too frequently and must stop.

It's happened frequently in the past 10 days or so, but it's behaviour that is unacceptable. It's lethal. It's reckless. It's criminal. It's dangerous, and the Garda Commissioner, and myself are committed to ensuring that the gardaí have the resources to stop it,

he said.

What is the Government doing to protect gardaí during pursuits?

Legislation is already being prepared to strengthen protections for gardaí involved in vehicle pursuits. The Minister acknowledged the difficult judgment calls officers face.

It's an extremely difficult judgment call to make because they have to take into consideration the fact that by pursuing the car that won't stop, particularly if it's going the wrong way down a motorway, that could result in even more serious injuries than what we saw,

he explained.

What is being done about social media companies?

Mr O'Callaghan criticised social media platforms for allowing videos of dangerous driving to spread. He said glorifying criminal behaviour is unacceptable and that companies are breaching their own codes of conduct.

We have a statutory agency [Coimisiún na Meán] that obviously will engage with them. It has to go through due process,

he said.

Are parents being held accountable?

When asked about parental responsibility, the Minister said it is a difficult time for the five families and that the issue will be looked at in due course.

Will the Garda Youth Diversion Programme be reviewed?

Mr O'Callaghan defended the programme, saying it cannot be judged a failure based on one incident. However, he stressed that those who refuse to engage with it must face the full force of the law.

They need to be pursued by the law because we're doing them a disservice unless we hold them to account for their criminal behaviour,

he said.

Frequently asked questions

What happened on the M9?

Five teenage boys were killed when the BMW they were driving the wrong way on the M9 crashed into an oncoming vehicle on Sunday, 16 August 2026.

Is driving the wrong way down a motorway a specific crime?

Not yet. The Government is examining creating a separate offence for this behaviour, which is currently prosecuted under general dangerous driving laws.

What new powers will gardaí have?

Gardaí will receive specialist pursuit training and will use drones to track stolen vehicles, starting this year.