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».
Sharon Huddleston
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.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
What are Graduated Driving Licences?
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.
Graduated driving licences could have saved Caitlin, her mother said
«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. The futures of our children were tragically cut short.
«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.
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.»
To watch the video related to this story, click here. Severe injuries were sustained by a backseat passenger and the van driver. Skye, who had only passed her test four months prior to the accident, lost control of the vehicle while taking a bend too quickly for her level of experience. The car then veered into the opposite lane, colliding with an oncoming van. Ms. Huddleston later learned about graduated driving licences (GDLs) and believes they could have prevented her daughter’s death. GDLs have been successful in reducing young driver fatalities in other countries, such as Canada. Despite this evidence, the government has no current plans to implement GDLs in the UK, citing concerns about unfairly penalizing young drivers. Ms. Huddleston advocates for the introduction of GDLs to save young lives and provide teenagers with a brighter future. Sharon Huddleston emphasized the devastating loss of young lives due to road accidents, stressing that the futures of these children were tragically cut short. She expressed her deep sorrow at having to bury her own child and highlighted the unfairness of such premature deaths. The pain of losing a child was further echoed by Dr. Ian Greenwood, whose daughter Alice lost her life at the age of 12 in a road accident caused by a speeding and distracted young driver.
The circumstances surrounding Alice’s death were particularly harrowing, as the driver responsible for the crash, along with his passenger, also lost their lives. Dr. Greenwood lamented the presence of several risk factors in the crash, making it a tragic example of the need for stricter regulations for new drivers. He pointed out that the crash had all the hallmarks of a scenario that could have been prevented with measures like a Graduated Driving Licence (GDL).
The discussion on The UK Tonight shed light on the urgent need for legislative changes to protect young drivers and road users. Sharon Huddleston and Dr. Ian Greenwood’s heartfelt pleas for action resonated with many who have experienced similar losses. The call for a GDL system to mitigate the risks associated with inexperienced drivers gained momentum as the devastating impact of road accidents on families was brought to the forefront.
The Department for Transport’s response to the issue acknowledged the gravity of road fatalities and expressed sympathy for the families affected. While ruling out the immediate consideration of GDLs, the department recognized the need to address the root causes of road accidents without unfairly penalizing young drivers. This commitment to finding effective solutions to protect young lives while ensuring road safety is commendable and underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to prevent further tragedies.
As the conversation around road safety and the protection of young drivers continues, the voices of those who have lost loved ones serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of road accidents. Sharon Huddleston and Dr. Ian Greenwood’s advocacy for legislative changes and stricter regulations for new drivers reflects a collective desire to prevent future tragedies and safeguard the futures of young individuals. The impact of their advocacy extends beyond personal loss, inspiring broader discussions on road safety and the need for proactive measures to prevent road accidents and protect vulnerable road users. The van driver and a backseat passenger sustained severe injuries in the crash, which happened just four months after Skye passed her driving test. Skye lost control of the car while entering a bend too fast for her level of experience. The vehicle spun onto the opposite carriageway and collided with a van traveling in the opposite direction. Following the tragic incident, Ms. Huddleston learned about Graduated Driving Licences (GDLs) and their potential to prevent such accidents. In 2023, statistics showed that a significant number of fatalities and serious injuries in car accidents in Great Britain involved young drivers. GDLs, which are implemented in several countries, including Canada, impose additional restrictions on new drivers, such as curfews and limits on the number of young passengers. Despite evidence suggesting a drastic reduction in teenage driver deaths in Canada, the UK government has expressed reluctance to introduce GDLs, citing concerns about unfairly penalizing young drivers. Ms. Huddleston advocates for the implementation of GDLs to protect young lives and provide teenagers with a safer future.
SOURCE
