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According to TxDOT, cellphone laws can change from city to city.\u00a0(Photo by Graham Hughes\/NurPhoto via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
NurPhoto\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n
A year after a\u00a0livestreamer<\/a> ran a red light while driving in Austin, she has been suspended from Twitch for another unsafe-driving incident.<\/p>\n Emily Xuechun Zhang, known online as ExtraEmily, was temporarily banned after a June 28 livestream showed her nearly colliding with a Mazda SUV while driving, according to multiple reports. The clip appeared to show Zhang looking away from the road while interacting with her stream before the close call.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n No crash or injuries were reported. The suspension was short-lived, with Zhang\u2019s channel restored about a day later. Zhang apologized in a later stream, adding that she planned to cut back on driving streams and keep chat off if she drives while live.<\/p>\n \u201cI clearly understand why I was suspended, because it\u2019s very dangerous, and I want to learn from my mistake and do better in the future,”\u00a0Zhang said during the apology.<\/p>\n “I completely understand why I was suspended because it’s very dangerous, I want to learn from my mistake and do better”<\/p>\n ExtraEmily has responded to her Twitch ban for being on her phone while driving pic.twitter.com\/mdIaCKkydl<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Jake Lucky (@JakeSucky) July 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Zhang\u00a0relocated to Austin after joining One True King, an Austin-based streaming organization, in 2023.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The latest incident brought renewed attention to a 2025 Austin clip in which\u00a0Zhang was filmed driving through a red light while livestreaming on her way to a Barbie-themed cafe in the city.<\/p>\n The older clip happened during a trip to Malibu Barbie Cafe, a pop-up that opened April 4, 2025, at Wanderlust Wine Co. in downtown Austin. In the video,\u00a0Zhang appeared to turn the camera toward the road as she approached the intersection before continuing through the light.<\/p>\n Is what ExtraEmily did illegal?<\/p>\n IRL streamers often build audiences by broadcasting ordinary parts of their day in real time, turning errands, travel and casual conversations into entertainment. But behind the wheel, the format can put the core demand of streaming \u2014 constant interaction with viewers \u2014 in conflict with the basic demands of driving.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Austin law says\u00a0cellphone use while driving is banned unless a driver is using a hands-free device. Texas law also prohibits drivers from sending or receiving electronic messages while behind the wheel. Austin police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the streamer.<\/p>\n Twitch has its own rule against the conduct. The platform\u2019s community guidelines say dangerous or distracted driving is \u201cnever acceptable\u201d when a streamer interacts with a broadcast in a way that takes their eyes off the road or hands off the vehicle. Twitch lists reading chat messages while driving as a prohibited example, while allowing streamers to set up cameras before driving or listen to text-to-speech chat and respond verbally.<\/p>\n Distracted driving remains a major problem on Texas roads. TxDOT says distracted driving was responsible for 86,384 crashes in 2025, seriously injuring 2,437 people and killing 299.<\/p>\n Austin and streamer stunts<\/p>\n As Austin has become an increasingly visible home base for livestreamers and online creators<\/a>, the city has become increasingly aware of the consequences of turning public spaces into content.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n