Mum calls for graduated driving licences after teenage son killed in car crash
Watch: Bereaved mum calls for graduated driving licences after losing her son in fatal crash
A bereaved mother, whose son was one of four teenagers killed in a car crash last year, is calling for the introduction of graduated driving licences which will see restrictions placed on young drivers.
Crystal Owen, from Shrewsbury, appeared on GMB this morning to outline the potential benefits of the scheme which would see newly qualified drivers have to undergo a minimum learning period, restrictions placed on passenger numbers and rules around driving at night.
The new legislation would also see young drivers in the UK banned from carrying passengers of a similar age for six months after passing their test.
Harvey Owen was one of four students who drowned after the car they were travelling in lost control and ended upside down and submerged in water. None of the boys had been drinking, the car wasn't speeding and all were wearing seatbelts, but according to the road safety charity Break, new drivers of a similar age are four times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than if they're driving alone.
Crystal says her son was let down by an outdated driving licence system, which needs to change. In an interview with GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, Crystal spoke about on the heartbreak of losing her son and her reasons for campaigning for driving licence change.
"I don't think there's anybody that can say that a teenager doesn't act differently around their friends," Crystal says. "When you learn to drive it takes a long time to to learn the roads, but when you fill a car you've got distractions, and you are also concentrating on your motor skills."
If introduced, graduated licences, would introduce a minimum six-month learning period and 17 to 19 year olds would be prohibited from carrying passengers under the age of 25, with some exemptions.
Crystal pointed out that at the moment there is also no law on how many lessons a young person takes before passing their test, so some young people could do a test within a week and be on the roads.
"Something needs to be done," she says. "The six months with no passengers would help educate parents to the risk. I didn't know Harvey had any friends who drove, so it wasn't something I thought I needed to worry about. This would give parents that education and empower them."
The mum went on to say that graduated licences are a short term measure that could really help to save lives.
"What's the alternative?" she asked. "My son is dead, that's the alternative. And the shock waves of one death on the family, their friends. It has affected so many people. Four boys with their whole future ahead of them. And this is happening on a daily basis."
Crystal was also joined by Edmund King, president of the AA organisation, which is also campaigning for the introduction of the new licences, known as graduated driving licensing (GDL), which are already used in other countries including the US, Canada and Australia. GDL also already exists in Northern Ireland.
Figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) show 290 people were killed and 4,669 were seriously injured in crashes on Britain's roads last year involving at least one driver aged 17-24.
"All the evidence shows from [these countries] that it has reduced deaths and serious injuries by between 20 and 40%," King said. "We think if this was introduced in the UK, it would save at least 58 lives a year and almost 1000 serious injuries. There are more people actually killed and seriously injured in road crashes than drink, drugs and knives."
When asked if seeing a change in legislation would bring her any form of comfort, Crystal replied: "One of the main reasons I'm doing this is I have three other children. We're now part of a group called the Forget-me-not Families Uniting . It started with nine families and we're not 158 families and all of us would have our children if this law was in place."
Crystal concluded the interview by urging any other families who have been affected by something similar to write to their local MPs. "We need the backing from the people with the power," she added.
A DfT spokesperson said: "Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.
"Whilst we are not considering graduated driving licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads, and we are considering other measures to tackle this problem and protect young drivers."
What are graduated driving licences?
The AA has recently launched its policy on GDL and among the measures The AA would like to see implemented are:
Passengers New drivers under the age of 21 would not be allowed to carry peer-age passengers, for six months after passing their test, with exemptions for parents/carers.
Seatbelts New drivers should face six points for not wearing a seatbelt effectively making new drivers lose their licence for this offence under the New Drivers Act.
‘G’ plate To aid police enforcement, new drivers under 21 should display a ‘G’ plate (denoting Graduate driver) for the first six months after passing their test.
Read more about parenting:
Mum who lost baby 21 weeks into pregnancy turns heartache into 'ribbon remembrance' (Teeside Live, 2-min read)
'One stomp at a time': Parents honour memory of baby son with new charity (Falmouth Packet, 3-min read)
Mum to hold special event 15 years after death of daughter who had epileptic seizure (Bury Times, 2-min read)
