Distracted Driving in the TikTok Era: 'Tea Tyme' Crash Highlights Safety Risks

A tragic incident, a TikTok livestream ending in the demise of a pedestrian, has sparked debate on road safety and social media. Tynesha McCarty-Wroten, 43, whose social media moniker is 'Tea Tyme', allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian in Zion, Illinois, at quarter past 5 in the afternoon on 3 November while livestreaming on TikTok. McCarty-Wroten was arrested Tuesday and is now facing multiple felonies after a month-long investigation finally comes to an end.

The pedestrian who was killed was later identified as Darren Lucas, 59. Lucas was coming home to Beach Park from a shift at a grocery store when McCarty-Wroten's southbound vehicle struck him. Officials say he was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead from blunt-force injuries, according to a report by NBC Chicago.

Chris King, the victim's son-in-law, confirmed receiving information on the arrest of McCarty-Wroten by the state attorney's office and said in an interview with The Guardian, 'The family and myself are glad to see the wheels of justice moving'. The report further states that McCarty-Wroten is facing felony charges of reckless homicide and aggravated use of a communications device resulting in death.

Netizens Inform Investigators of McCarty-Wroten's Livestream

During the investigation, McCarty-Wroten allegedly thought she saw the green light, which was later denounced when local businesses' videos showed the red light as she was going through the intersection. An 8-year-old was also present in the vehicle with McCarty-Wroten during the crash, according to the police, who also confirmed they both were checked following the crash but requested no medical assistance.

In an NBC News report, the police released a statement that said, 'In the days following the crash, numerous members of the public reached out to Zion Investigators to inform them of a TikTok video that allegedly showed Ms. McCarty-Wroten live-streaming herself driving at the time of the crash', which later led to her arrest.

Police later found McCarty-Wroten's TikTok streaming account, 'Tea_Tyme_3', and verified her video hosting a livestream where she was talking before a loud thud could be heard, after which she said, '...I just hit somebody'. The 8-year-old could be heard asking what had happened, and shortly after the livestream was ended.

Distracted Driving in the Digital Era

According to the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving, the act of diverting one's attention from safely operating a vehicle, caused over 3,000 deaths in the US. Meanwhile, the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports over 320,000 injuries from distraction-related accidents.

Surveillance footage and the livestream on TikTok, which captured the impact, proved Tea_Tyme_3, or McCarty-Wroten, was driving through a red light during the crash, and that she was on her phone while driving. In the US, most states ban texting or the use of any mobile phone while driving.

Some jurisdictions, however, are pushing for stronger regulations against the act. Pennsylvania, for example, forbids drivers from touching their phones even at a red light stop, otherwise they will be fined anywhere from $50 to $100. The Sun reports this hands-free statute that is due to be enforced in June of 2026, is also known as Paul Miller's Law.

While TikTok and other platforms prohibit livestreaming while driving, the Tea_Tyme_3 incident highlights how enforcement of the safety standards and the law in some cases continue to be inconsistent, underscoring how social media platforms — not only TikTok — should enforce stricter measures in ensuring their users follow safety protocols.

For lawmakers, the law and technology must advance parallel to each other, undermining the risks of using mobile phones while driving on the road, preventing tragedies or putting lives at risk.