Dangerous Social Media Trend Taking Over In New York

Many truly disturbing videos from around New York State are going viral, and it’s making some people terrified. 

Recently, if you’ve seen posts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok bragging about “Thruway Swimming,” you’re not alone. It’s part of a dangerous new social media trend, and has the potential to be extremely deadly. 

What Is “Thruway Swimming”?

Insane videos like this one of a speeding driver weaving in between other cars and lanes on Buffalo’s NY 33 are major causes of alarm for fellow New York drivers, especially ones that frequently commute on our major roadways. 

We’ve personally seen this happen close to a dozen times in the past month while traveling in New York, and each time, the incidents get more and more jarring. Drivers who do this aren’t just obviously putting themselves and their passengers at risk, but are seriously endangering the lives of the drivers around them who are just trying to get to work, home, school, or run some errands for their families. 

READ MORE: Massive Police Presence Planned For These New York State Roads

Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia told Buffalo’s WGRZ-TV that police are encouraged to pull over the drivers whenever they witness it. However, we bet that’s easier said than done due to the dangerously high speeds, and chasing them could put many more people at risk. 

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Unfortunately, even though offending drivers could be charged, the trend shows no sign of stopping. We truly hope that this scary craze fades into oblivion, especially before the worst case scenario comes true and someone loses their life because of it.