A mum whose 17-year-old son died in a automotive crash after telling a ‘white lie’ a couple of tenting journey has known as for robust new guidelines for younger drivers.
Crystal Owen’s son Harvey was amongst 4 college students from Shrewsbury who misplaced their lives after the automotive they have been in crashed off the street earlier than overturning right into a fast-flowing river in North Wales in November 2023.
She had no thought her son was going tenting and didn’t know the ‘comparatively new’ 18-year-old driver, who handed his check simply over six months earlier than the accident.
Crystal is now campaigning for the federal government to introduce graduated driving licences, which might ban younger drivers from carrying their friends except an grownup is with them.
Join the entire newest tales
Begin your day knowledgeable with Metro's Information Updates publication or get Breaking Information alerts the second it occurs.
Harvey texted her simply earlier than Hugo Morris, 18, drove her son, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Jevon Hirst, 16 on a tenting journey.
Crystal advised Metro: ‘He knew I wouldn’t let him go tenting. So he simply did a typical teenage factor and advised a white lie.
‘We didn’t know that Harvey even knew any individual who had handed their check. Harvey had solely only recently turned 17.
‘We didn’t suppose that this was on our radar of issues to be worrying about.’
Police launched a significant two-day seek for the boys – however their crashed Ford Fiesta couldn’t be seen from the street.
Crystal mentioned she went looking for her son towards the needs of police.
She added: ‘I went from simply pondering he was safely tucked up at his buddy’s home to then actually panicking.
‘We have been driving round Snowdonia following false leads that gave us hope, earlier than we have been advised to make our method to the police station.
‘Even to the final minute, we simply thought they discovered the automotive however the boys should have wandered off. Then each father or mother’s worst nightmare occurred.’
All 4 A-level college students have been discovered useless within the automotive.
Forensic collision investigator Ian Thompson advised an inquest final 12 months that driver Hugo had pushed the sharp bend too quick earlier than crashing off the street.
All of the boys have been sporting seatbelts however the automotive’s two rear tyres have been underinflated.
The senior coroner Kate Robertson mentioned she would write to the Division for Transport and the DVLA to lift issues that deaths may proceed to happen the place ‘younger, newly certified drivers are permitted to hold passengers’.
Authorities information exhibits nearly 5,000 individuals are significantly injured or killed in a street site visitors collision involving a younger driver aged 25 and underneath annually within the UK.
Simply six weeks after Harvey’s demise, Crystal started campaigning for the federal government to introduce graduated licences for newly certified 17-19 12 months olds.
This might see a ban on fast-track intensive driving programs and require teenage drivers to not carry passengers aged 25 or underneath except accompanied by an older grownup for the primary six months after passing.
The scheme is already in place in several kinds in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elements of the US.
Research present the restrictions in Canada diminished deaths amongst 16 to 19-year-old drivers by 83%.
Crystal believes a graduated driver’s licence may have saved her son’s life.
She mentioned: ‘Despite the fact that the motive force had handed the six month interval, if this legislation had been in place it will have bolstered to us as mother and father to have these conversations and encourage younger folks to grasp the chance.’
In line with Highway Security Charity Brake, newly-qualified drivers with a automotive stuffed with equally aged passengers are 4 instances extra more likely to be in a deadly crash.
The federal government has introduced plans for security restrictions on older drivers as a part of a street security technique.
These embrace probably banning drivers over 70 in the event that they fail obligatory eye exams.
Crystal says the plans don’t go far sufficient, and criticised Labour’s rejection of graduated driver’s licences.
She mentioned: ‘I feel the GPs ought to must notify the DVLA by legislation when any individual is unfit to drive.
‘I’m additionally dissatisfied they’re simply specializing in the older drivers. They appear to simply be ignoring the dangers to younger drivers.’
Crystal’s petition calling for the brand new guidelines has reached over 108,000 signatures.
Harvey’s demise has left his mum petrified of being on the street and devastated his sisters Yasmin, 21, Sophia, six, and Olivia, 4.
She added: ‘The devastating half is that Harvey completely idolised his little sisters.
‘He was simply at all times in love with them, truthfully. He was so near his older sister. They have been extra like greatest mates.
‘They’ve not solely misplaced a brother however they’ve misplaced the mum that they need to have had, as a result of I’ll by no means ever be who I used to be earlier than this.
‘They’ll have desires that Harvey’s right here and so they’ll get up and so they’ll be sobbing their hearts out.’
Crystal additionally runs a charity known as Shine On with Harvey Owen that helps deprived younger folks acquire entry to artistic arts.
‘I don’t need Harvey to simply be related to street demise,’ she defined.
‘I wish to keep in mind him for who he was, as a result of Harvey was simply humble and grateful for the whole lot he had.’
A DfT spokesperson mentioned: ‘Each demise on our roads is a tragedy and our ideas stay with the households of everybody who has misplaced a beloved one on this means.
‘While we’re not contemplating Graduated Driving Licences, we completely recognise that younger individuals are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads and proceed to sort out this by way of our THINK! marketing campaign.
‘We’re contemplating different measures to handle this downside and shield younger drivers, as a part of our upcoming technique for street security – the primary in over a decade.’
Get in contact with our information group by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For extra tales like this, check our news page.
Remark now Feedback