Images shared on the ‘Illegal Society Madeira’ page show a car driving with its hazard lights on while the occupants launch fireworks out of the windows. This behavior violates the Highway Code and may constitute a crime.
An unusual and dangerous video, captured on the Via Rápida highway in São Martinho, is going viral on social media. The images, shared on the Instagram page Illegal Society Madeira, show a moving car, with its hazard lights flashing, transformed into a mobile fireworks launcher.
In the video, the vehicle can be seen driving in the lane while rockets are continuously fired from the passenger compartment, illuminating the road and creating a high-risk scenario for other drivers. The use of hazard lights, which legally serve to signal an emergency slowdown or breakdown, was employed in an attempt to justify the dangerous maneuver.
The release of the images immediately sparked a wave of criticism and concern. The question “Where is the Public Security Police (PSP)?” echoes in the shared posts, at a time when authorities had announced increased enforcement for the New Year’s operation.
The conduct shown in the video goes far beyond a simple New Year’s Eve prank and is severely punished under Portuguese law.
- Throwing Objects: According to the Highway Code (Article 79), it is prohibited to throw any objects outside the vehicle. In the case of explosive/pyrotechnic devices, the penalty is even more serious.
- Dangerous Driving (Crime): More than just a minor infraction, this behavior can be classified as the crime of dangerous driving (Article 291 of the Penal Code). If the authorities consider that the maneuver created “danger to the life or physical integrity of others, or to the property of others of high value,” the driver may be punished with imprisonment for up to three years or a fine.
- Improper use of lights: Using hazard lights without justification of a malfunction or unforeseen danger is also punishable by a fine.
The police authorities will now have to analyze the images provided by Via Litoral to try to identify the vehicle’s license plate and its occupants, and may initiate the respective criminal or administrative proceedings.