The Goulburn Valley community has been divided online by the sharing of videos and images following a tragic accident that left three teenagers in hospital with serious injuries last week.
The News is aware of a video circulating around social media, that was taken in the moments immediately after the incident, showing both an injured victim on the road and the wreckage of the vehicle up close, before emergency services had arrived on the scene, along with alarming CCTV footage of the single-vehicle crash taking place.
Less confronting footage of the crash site hours after the collision, where the vehicle, its broken parts and contents remained on view to the public among with twisted road signs, debris and felled trees on Friday morning, was among the videos criticised for being shared.
Anonymous posters took to Facebook to comment on the video of the upturned utility on the Goulburn Valley Hwy near Riverside Plaza.
“You really should take this video down. My sister was in a horrific accident years ago and I know first-hand how awful it was to see video/photos of the accident,” one poster wrote, urging the original poster to “please be more considerate.”
In direct response, another defended the move.
“I have empathy for you and your loss, but no, I do not agree with you, for the simple fact is, hopefully the more people that see these tragedies could potentially save a life, or at least make one young kid reflect back on this tragedy before they act.”
A family member of one of the victims said her 19-year-old niece was involved in last week’s accident and that seeing the footage “over and over again” was “very confronting”.
“I’ve been asking people to take it down,” the woman said.
Shepparton police said they saw “disappointing behaviour” among motorists on Saturday night, especially so soon after the Kialla crash that rocked the city last week.
Between Saturday morning and Monday lunchtime, there were nine fatalities on Victorian roads.
Amateur footage of several of the incidents has been posted to social media sites.
A local young driver initiative, the Cool Heads program, works somewhat similarly on shock-factor tactics to deter unsafe driving.
More than just delivering a road safety message, the events are designed for young drivers and their parents to understand fully the consequences associated with road trauma and to discuss safe driving with police and guest presenters.
It could be argued that the sharing of traumatic videos on social media in the wake of crashes has the same impact.
The difference is in the delivery.
The victims, survivors and affected family members and personnel who present at Cool Heads events have chosen and consented to share stories and images of some of their darkest and toughest moments, often long after some physical and emotional healing has occurred.
With vast saturation of CCTV and personal recording devices readily on hand nowadays, the recording and sharing of incidents on the internet has become common practice.
It poses the question, what is acceptable in situations like this these days?
Have your say on our Facebook page.
There is a Cool Heads event at 7pm on Wednesday, July 16, at Riverlinks Eastbank. To book tickets, visit the Riverlinks website.