Latest news with #GDLs
North Wales Chronicle
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- North Wales Chronicle
Gwynedd: Government won't explain graduated driving licences stance
Crystal Owen's 17-year-old son, Harvey, was one of four teenagers who died when their car rolled into a ditch in Gwynedd in 2023, while Jo Alkir's 17-year-old daughter, Olivia, was killed following a crash between Ruthin and Clawddnewydd in 2019. Ms Owen started a petition in October 2024, which has received more than 108,000 signatures and proposes the following 'reasonable changes': Both Ms Owen and Ms Alkir, along with other parents who lost their children in car crashes, delivered the petition to 10 Downing Street in April, despite the Department for Transport (DfT) reiterating that it is not considering GDLs. Bereaved parents, who have all lost their children in car accidents, delivering a 100,000-signature petition to Downing Street, London, calling for stricter licensing laws for young drivers. (Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire) The Free Press has made multiple requests to the DfT to interview Lilian Greenwood MP, the minister for future of roads, but all have been unsuccessful. Mrs Greenwood publicly supported a bill for GDLs introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP in May 2024 (prior to last year's general election), but said at a parliamentary debate in January that the government is not considering them. The Chronicle/Free Press also asked, in an email to the DfT's press office, why it is not considering GDLs, why Ms Greenwood previously supported GDLs but has changed her stance, and why the DfT has yet to publish its findings from its Driver2020. Proud to be a supporter of @kimleadbeater's Bill. There is good evidence that GDL could save lives and it deserves proper consideration by government. No one has done more to push this onto the UK political agenda than @ian_m_greenwood. The DfT responded by saying: '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 GDLs, 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." The DfT previously provided the same statement to the Free Press in October and January. Harvey Owen (Image: Submitted) Olivia Alkir (Image: Submitted) At January's parliamentary debate, Mrs Greenwood said that 'recent statistics show an 80 per cent decrease in the number of young drivers killed on our roads since 1990'. But Ms Owen said: 'The government are being misleading with the 80 per cent 'reduction'. 'Young driver fatalities are driven by three factors. The most important one in reducing fatalities has been the impact of newer, safer cars. 'Affordability is the second factor. In 1990, 54 per cent of males under 21 held a full driving licence. In 2023 that had fallen to 29 per cent. 'Demographics is the third factor. In the 2010s, there was a reduction in young adult. By 2030, the number of 18-year-olds is projected to increase by 25 per cent.' Crystal Owen (Image: Newsquest) Government statistics show that, in the UK in 2023, the rate of killed and seriously injured (KSI) casualties per billion miles was four times higher for male car drivers aged 17 to 24 than all car drivers older than 25. Meanwhile, 90 young drivers and 200 passengers and other road users were killed in 2023 in crashes involving young drivers. KSI casualties in crashes involving a young driver has started to rise – from 3,987 in 2020, to 4,959 in 2023. Ms Owen's and Ms Alkir's campaigning has also received the backing of organisations such as the AA and the RAC – the latter has said GDLs 'could help save lives on the country's roads'. Both mothers are also part of Forget-Me-Not Families Uniting, a group of almost 200 bereaved families who have lost young loved ones in similar circumstances. Ms Owen has also rejected suggestions that GDLs would 'penalise' young drivers. L: Harvey Owen. R: Crystal Owen (Image: NWP/PA) 'Teenagers being able to drive solo for six months after passing their practical test will give them the opportunity to be mobile and gain experience,' she said. 'If the change in demographics results in an increase in the number and cost of road collisions, driving will become less affordable for young adults. 'Not protecting young drivers has created a vicious circle that makes driving increasingly unaffordable for most young adults. 'Driver2020 was paid for with taxpayers' money, so why are we not seeing what they have done with the money? Why is the taxpayer paying for this research to be done if we're not being shown the results of it?' Another new measure that has been discussed is that all cars must be fitted with a tool that could smash open a window if a car is trapped, to allow occupants to escape. In 2022, a film about Olivia Alkir, called Olivia's Story, was made by North Wales Police in a bid to deter young drivers from reckless behaviour on the roads. The film features dashcam footage of the cars involved in the 2019 crash, alongside a recording of Jo Alkir at the scene as she begs her daughter to live. Ms Alkir said: 'Why is the government allowing young novice drivers to be allowed to carry passengers, just after they have passed their test, knowing that they are a distraction? 'Arrogance, ignorance and selfishness kills. 'It has been proven that, in Canada, GDLs have prevented the deaths of young drivers (in April, it was reported that deaths in Canada among 16-to-19-year-old drivers have fallen by 83 per cent). 'Why is the government ignoring this?' Liz Saville Roberts is the Plaid Cymru MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, the constituency in which Harvey Owen and his three friends died in November 2023. She has since met Ms Owen and expressed her support for her campaigning. Liz Saville Roberts and Crystal Owen (Image: Submitted) Mrs Saville Roberts said: 'It is very disappointing that the DfT are seemingly unwilling to consider GDLs as a means of curbing accidents and fatalities amongst newly qualified drivers, when there is ample evidence that such a measure would help save lives. 'I have previously raised this matter with the UK roads minister to seek clarity as to what the UK government is doing to improve road safety amongst young drivers - including the merits of a staged approach of gaining full driving privileges. 'We know that young people are disproportionally affected by road accidents therefore the UK government should be actively considering all options to reduce deaths amongst newly qualified drivers. 'I would like to reaffirm my support to those campaigning to improve road safety and highlight the devastating consequences of accidents amongst young drivers including Crystal Owen and Jo Alkir, who have shown immense courage in the face of terrible loss. 'I would encourage the government to work with campaigners and listen to those who have lived experience of this devastating issue as they commence work on their Road Safety Strategy.' The DfT is expected to publish its Road Safety Strategy in due course.
Daily Mail
28-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Grieving mothers call for change to driving licences after show-off killed three of his teen friends
Grieving mothers yesterday called for graduated driving licences to be brought in after the newly qualified driver who killed their children in a horror crash was sentenced. Edward Spencer, 19, lost control of his Ford Fiesta after hitting a verge at 64mph as he drove Matilda Seccombe, 16, Harry Purcell, 17, and Frank Wormald, 16, home from school. Spencer, who had had his driving licence for just six weeks, already had a history of 'showing off' at the wheel before the crash, a court heard. The car crossed the carriageway on a rural B-road and hit an oncoming Fiat, leaving the driver and her two stepchildren with serious, enduring injuries. Prosecutor Timothy Harrington said Spencer, a farmer's son, had 'a history of bad driving, of showing off, taking risks, driving too quickly and failing to heed' passengers' warnings. Juliet Seccombe, mother of Matilda, who was known as Tilly, said the family initially thought the collision had been a 'terrible accident'. She said: 'We have since learned that Tilly had messaged him [Spencer] to challenge him about his dangerous driving, to which his reply was: "You underestimate me."' Mr Harrington said evidence from social media – including one clip found on Harry's account – showed that Spencer was a 'habitually bad driver'. The prosecutor said in one clip Spencer bragged about reversing so fast that he was 'going to crash', while another showed Spencer with four passengers in the car, including Harry in the middle rear seat. One passenger is heard saying: 'You can drive nicely when you pass and then you drive like a d*******.' Ahead of Spencer's sentencing yesterday, the Fiat driver joined two of the bereaved mothers in calling for the introduction of black box monitors or graduated driving licences (GDLs) – which could include a ban on new drivers carrying younger passengers or a late-night driving curfew for the first few months on the road. Judge Andrew Lockhart KC appeared to back the calls, remarking during sentencing that the 'horrific facts of this case might have been avoided' if qualified drivers were 'prohibited from carrying passengers for a period of time after passing their driving test'. Ordering the trainee joiner to be detained at a young offender institution for two years, Judge Lockhart Spencer said it was 'an act of pure folly' to drive even close to the road's 60mph speed limit. He was given an eight-year driving ban and will be required to take an extended driving test. The Fiat driver, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her children, survived the crash on the B4035 between Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, and Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire. She said she was knocked unconscious and came around to find the children screaming in the back seat. Warwick Crown Court heard the young boy in the Fiat dragged his sister from the wreckage, not knowing if she was alive or dead. The stepmother and Mrs Seccombe said that, had Spencer shown remorse and apologised, they would have forgiven him. David Wormald, Frank's (pictured) father, said that each morning his family wake with the 'sickening realisation that Frank is dead' Spencer, from Newbold on Stour, Warwickshire, admitted three counts of causing death by careless driving and three counts of causing serious injury by careless driving. He and the three dead were sixth-form pupils at Chipping Campden School. All three suffered traumatic head injuries. The parents of the dead read out statements in court in which they described being left 'broken' and 'utterly devastated'. David Wormald, Frank's father, said that each morning his family wake with the 'sickening realisation that Frank is dead'. He said his youngest son's 'purpose' was to make his family laugh, and they were now left in 'despair' at Frank's death. Toni Purcell, 53, whose son Harry was a twin, sobbed at the memory of being told by the doctors that 'they had done what they could but that Harry was not going to survive'. According to the Department for Transport, in 2023 around a fifth of all killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties from collisions involving cars were in ones that involved a young car driver, defined as someone between the ages of 17 to 24. Mrs Seccombe, from Preston on Stour, Warwickshire, said GDLs would allow young drivers to 'gain experience without that peer pressure of having friends in the car'. Mrs Purcell also endorsed calls for GDLs. Spencer's lawyer read out his letter to the court, saying: 'There are no words strong enough to express how sorry I am. Every day I live with the pain of knowing how many lives have been impacted.'
Sky News
28-04-2025
- Sky News
Teen driver who caused deaths of three students weeks after passing test detained for two years
The mother of a girl killed in a car crash says the government's lack of action on reducing the number of young fatalities is "not good enough anymore" – as the teenager responsible for her death was detained for two years. Edward Spencer, 19, was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court for causing the deaths by careless driving of three fellow students while driving home from school in April 2023. Spencer, who was 17 at the time of the crash, lost control of his Ford Fiesta near Shipston-on-Stour just five weeks after passing his test. His passengers, Matilda "Tilly" Seccombe, 16, Frank Wormald, 16, and Harry Purcell, 17, all died. The teenager was travelling at around 64mph when he hit an oncoming Fiat 500 - two children aged 10 and 12 and their stepmother inside suffered "life-changing" injuries. Police say his speed was too fast for the road and the conditions. 2:18 Tilly's mother Juliet Seccombe recalled the moment she raced to the scene of the crash. "Immediately when I got to a junction the police were shouting down the road, I saw an air ambulance, that complete panic… you freeze… everything shuts down," she said. "It's devastating. Absolutely devastating. The birthdays, anniversaries, everything, you know, just being a mother… you feel lost… when you've lost one of your children." She criticised the government for not implementing Graduated Driving Licences (GDLs) to help reduce the number of crashes involving new drivers. "If graduated driving licences were in place this would have saved Tilly's life," she said. 'Do something about it' GDLs would see certain restrictions imposed on learner drivers - such as a ban on night time driving and passenger numbers - in the first few months. They are already used in countries such as Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand. In Canada, deaths among 16-year-old drivers have fallen by more than 80% following the introduction of GDLs. "No action and procrastination is not good enough anymore," said Ms Seccombe. "It's no good just accepting there's a problem - do something about it. Doing nothing is going to cause some other family the pain and anguish we are going through." In 2023 around a fifth of people killed or seriously injured in Great Britain in car collisions involved a young driver - and the UK government says young male drivers are four times more likely to be killed or injured compared with other motorists. Despite growing evidence of their success, the government is continuing to refuse to consider them as part of its new road safety strategy. Previously it has said it is looking at options that do not "penalise" young drivers - a comment that has angered grieving families. "We're penalised because our son's been killed," said Toni Purcell, Harry's mother. "It's a double-edged sword isn't it. Our son is no longer here because somebody was driving without due care and attention. "If the government is saying it penalises young drivers, what about the families who've been penalised by the loss of their children?" The stepmother driving the car Spencer hit - who cannot be named for legal reasons - recalled to Sky News the moment the crash happened. "I was on a straight strip of road, and I saw a silver Ford Fiesta coming towards me round the corner and I could tell the driver had lost control. "I knew it was going to hit my car… and the only thing I could do is to tell my children to close their eyes because I knew they were going to die." Both children required major surgery and continue to receive treatment for their injuries. She is also calling on the government to reconsider its position on GDLs. "Young people have a disproportionate number of accidents; they cause a disproportionate number of accidents," she said. "I think that needs to change. There needs to be systemic change otherwise it's going to stay the same - we're going to keep hearing about it on the news." 'She was a beautiful girl' Mrs Seccombe said she wanted Tilly to be remembered for her beautiful smile. "She was a beautiful girl, and she was bright, she had everything to go for in life. Just a bright, happy, funny, spark. She was blossoming into a beautiful young lady," she said. Harry's mother said Harry's death has left a "massive hole" in their family. "He'd grown into such a beautiful, funny, loving, kind young man… he had such a kind heart and he always had a positive word to say…he was a beautiful character, beautiful personality," she said. Both mothers believe Spencer has showed no remorse since the crash. "It's made Tilly's life worthless in his eyes as far as I'm concerned - and that's extremely painful to accept," said Ms Seccombe. "I'm just really saddened that he hasn't reflected on his actions, and he hasn't learnt to atone." Spencer changed his plea to guilty in March, nearly two years after the crash. Detective Sergeant Stephen Barr, the officer in charge of the investigation, said it was a "truly tragic" collision. "Our thoughts remain with all those involved and affected by what happened," he said. "Edward Spencer was an inexperienced driver who made decisions on that day that changed many lives forever. "He and all the families affected will have to live with the consequences of what he did for the rest of their lives." A Department for Transport spokesperson told Sky News: "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. "We are determined to tackle this, including through our THINK! campaign, which has a focus on men aged 17-24 as they are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than other drivers."
Sky News
08-04-2025
- Sky News
Graduated driving licences for young people 'could have saved my daughter', says bereaved mother
A mother whose daughter was killed in a car crash has said tougher laws for new drivers could have saved the teenager's life. Speaking on The UK Tonight With Sarah-Jane Mee, Sharon Huddleston called on the government to bring in new laws to "help save young lives [and] give teenagers a future". Caitlin Huddleston, 18, was a passenger in a vehicle which collided with a van in July 2017. The crash killed both Caitlin and the driver, her friend Skye Mitchell, also 18. A backseat passenger and the van driver were left with severe injuries. Skye had passed her test just four months before the crash, which occurred after she "entered a bend slightly too fast for her experience and lost control", Ms Huddleston said. The car then spun on to the opposite carriageway and in front of a van travelling in the opposite direction. Ms Huddleston later "found out about a law called a graduated driving licence which could have saved my daughter's life". In 2023, around a fifth of people killed or seriously injured in Great Britain in car collisions involved a young driver. Graduated Driving Licences (GDLs) have been introduced in a number of other countries including Canada, where it takes at least 20 months for a new driver to gain a full driving licence by earning in stages. Young drivers working towards their full licence face extra rules such as not being allowed on the roads between midnight and 5am, and a limit on the number of under 19-year-old passengers. 2:18 As reported by Sky News' Dan Whitehead, evidence shows deaths among 16 to 19-year-old drivers in Canada have fallen by 83%. But the government has previously stated it has no plans to introduce GDLs, saying they could "unfairly" penalise young drivers. "Our children have been penalised from living their lives," Ms Huddleston said in response. "We want this implemented to help save young lives, to give teenagers a future. Our children's futures were taken from them. "These children who are killed on the roads, they're being penalised from living their lives, we shouldn't have to bury our children," she continued. Ms Huddleston was joined on The UK Tonight by Dr Ian Greenwood, whose daughter Alice died at the age of 12 after a speeding, young driver crashed into a car she was travelling in with her mother and sister. Dr Greenwood said: "They were speeding, they were distracted, it's a rural road. "It's almost like doing a bingo for the risk factors of a graduated driving licence - other than alcohol, they were all present in that crash." The driver of the car and his passenger also died, he said. 1:57 A Department for Transport spokesperson told Sky News: "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 exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers."
Sky News
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- Sky News
Calls for 'irresponsible' UK government to follow Canada's lead on rules for young drivers
The UK government is facing accusations of being "disingenuous" and "irresponsible" amid growing criticism for not introducing tougher licensing laws for new drivers. Officials in countries that already use so-called Graduated Driving Licences (GDLs), major UK motoring organisations and bereaved families say reforming the way new motorists get a licence will save lives. Sky News joined Canada's largest road policing unit and driving school to understand how GDLs work - with evidence showing that deaths among 16 to 19-year-old drivers there have fallen by 83%. Despite strong evidence, the UK government says it is not considering introducing them - claiming they "unfairly" penalise young drivers. "It's so disingenuous. You're downplaying what an important function and responsibility it is to be behind the wheel of a car," says Superintendent Matt Moyer, who heads up Toronto Police Traffic Services. The province of Ontario was the first region of North America to introduce GDLs more than 30 years ago. It takes at least 20 months to gain a full driving licence, with students earning certain freedoms in stages. Rules include new drivers not being allowed on the road between midnight and 5am, a ban on driving on high-speed roads and a limit on the number of under 19-year-old passengers. Many of these factors have featured in fatal accidents in the UK. As soon as GDLs were brought in 1994, there was an immediate 31% drop in collisions involving novice drivers. Maria Bagdonas is chief operating officer of Young Drivers of Canada, the country's largest driving school. "It could be passenger restriction, it could be a time of day restriction, it could be a blood alcohol or drug concentration restriction - basically the idea is not to take someone who is newly licensed and say here, 'go forth' in this crazy mad driving world and just let them - do or die, because more often it's the die," she said. She questions the UK government's decision to not introduce GDLs. "Is it irresponsible to allow the same thing to happen over and over again and expect a different result without any interference…or is it insane?" We joined new learner drivers in Toronto as they get behind the wheel for the first time. 2:01 One of them is 23-year-old Bapreet Kaur. She gasped when we told her that in the UK, learners can do an intensive course for just one week before taking your test. "Not everything is about freedom, you have to consider others as well. It's not just you driving, right? There are other people on the road you have to make feel safe." Another learner, 16-year-old Anthony Martella, admits it is frustrating how long it takes. "It makes me feel safe because when you're on the road you want that mutual respect with other people on the road as well…having that aspect of making it longer so people can drive and learn the ways of the road, it makes it better for everyone," he added. "It is a bit frustrating, but I completely understand why the rules are in place." Graduated Driving Licences are also in place in other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. In 2023 around a fifth of people killed or seriously injured in Great Britain in car collisions involved a young driver - and the UK government says young male drivers are four times more likely to be killed or injured compared with other motorists. The AA, RAC, road safety charities Brake and RoadPeace, MPs and some police have spoken in favour of GDLs. The campaign group Forget-Me-Not Families Uniting, made up of those who've lost loved ones in car crashes, has lobbied the government to bring in the tougher laws - and last week delivered a 100,000-strong petition to Downing Street. 'People keep dying' Mia Pullen, whose brother Elliot was killed when a car he was travelling in smashed into a tree at 100mph in 2023 in Oxfordshire, told Sky News he would still be alive if GDLs had been in place. "It makes me feel really angry, and really quite disappointed and let down by our government because he would still be here and so would hundreds of other people's sons and daughters," Ms Pullen said. 1:57 She said the number of accidents mean something needs to be done. "I think they're making a very irresponsible decision. How can you not think they're the most important thing right now in the road safety laws. "People keep dying. You keep seeing it on the news, 'young person has been killed' or another young person has killed someone else because they're not experienced enough to drive." Back in Toronto, Supt. Moyer said there are challenges in enforcing the tough GDL rules. "You need an in. We can't just arbitrarily stop people because 'we think' or 'we have suspicion of'. We have to believe an offence has been created. "We have to be realistic - and manage the expectations of the community. I don't have enough people to pull over everybody that looks like their young at 3 o'clock in the morning - I don't have that," he said. But he is clear the system works. "Come out to some of our fatals and find out why there's 3,000 pounds of steel wrapped around this person and yet there was never any standard applied to them. "I understand there are some people who feel it might be an infringement on their rights to actually introduce laws. "These aren't laws, they are standards - and the more people who will accept that and abide by that, you've just made a major contribution to public safety in Britain." Ontario's minister of transport, Prabmeet Sakaria, agrees that GDLs are the safest way to learn. "We have some of the largest highways in probably North America and so we have to be very careful putting people onto the roads. "The data speaks for itself here, right. We've got 16-18 lane freeways here. Should someone who's just picked up their licence, really be able to jump on some of the busiest, fastest roads, should they be able to do so not having the experience?" 0:58 A Department for Transport spokesperson told Sky News: "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 exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers."
