YouTube and streaming star Darren "IShowSpeed" Watkins Jr. narrowly avoided a serious car accident during a livestream on March 28, after repeatedly glancing at his phone to interact with chat — all while driving with thousands of viewers watching live. The close call was captured on camera and quickly went viral across social media, reigniting discussions about the dangers of distracted livestreaming behind the wheel.
The livestream incident
The stream began as a typical desktop session at home, where Speed and his brother Jamal tried science experiments from TikTok, danced, and ate snacks. The group later decided to head out, switching the broadcast to an IRL (in real life) format. Jamal sat in the passenger seat, with cameraman Slipz in the back. While driving, Speed frequently looked down at his phone to check chat and ask viewers to name a song he was singing. Moments later, as he glanced back at the road, both he and Jamal reacted in shock upon seeing the vehicle ahead had stopped. Speed slammed on the brakes, causing everyone in the car to jerk forward. The dramatic moment spread rapidly, with millions viewing the clip on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) within hours.
Speed’s Immediate Reaction
Right after the near-miss, Speed quickly defended himself, saying, "Bro, that is not my fault, bro. What the hell? What is he doing? Bro... I can not. Where is he going driving bruh? God.”
{{/usCountry}}Right after the near-miss, Speed quickly defended himself, saying, "Bro, that is not my fault, bro. What the hell? What is he doing? Bro... I can not. Where is he going driving bruh? God.”
{{/usCountry}}He and Jamal then put on their seatbelts. Speed went on to reassure his audience of his driving experience, mentioning that he got his license at 16 and has been driving for about five years.
Not the First On-Road Chaos
This isn’t the first time IShowSpeed has been involved in vehicle-related incidents while streaming or filming content. In September 2025, during his US tour, he crashed a car while attempting a stunt ramp jump with YouTuber Westen Champlin. The vehicle hit a light post, deploying the airbags.
By- Vidushi Mishra