Shrewsbury mum's 100,000 petition for young driver restrictions to be presented to Downing Street after fatal crash

Crystal Owen started the petition following the death of her son Harvey, 17, and his three friends, Hugo Morris, 18, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Jevon Hirst, 16.

The four teenagers, all from Shrewsbury, died when their car veered off a rural road while they were on a camping trip in North Wales in November 2023.

Since the tragedy Crystal has campaigned for the government to introduce graduated driving licences.

As part of her efforts she launched a petition calling for support, with more than 100,000 people now having added their names to cause.

At 2pm on Wednesday, April 2, Crystal will be joined by the mothers of five other young car crash victims to deliver the petition to Downing Street.

Bridget Lucas, Alison Greenhouse, Joanne Alkir, Nicola Bell, and Naomi Crane, all had children, aged between 17 and 20, who died in car crashes in recent years. 

The campaign proposes a number of measures as part of the  'phased' licences for new drivers - including measures such as limiting the period new drivers can carry passengers in their vehicles. 

Last year the AA also added its weight to the calls.

A parliamentary debate on the issue took place with the support of Shrewsbury MP, Julia Buckley, but the government has so far shown no willingness to change the law.

During a debate in January, Minister for the Future of Roads Lilian Greenwood recognised that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic collisions on the roads, but said the UK Government is not considering graduated licences.

She said the government is exploring options to “tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers”.

Crystal said she was hugely thankful for the support the petition has received from the public, but added that she was frustrated at the government's lack of willingness to consider the issue, saying "they are not really listening".

She said: "I think it is only just under four per cent of petitions that even get to 10,000 so I am pleased the public have shown their support. To get to 100,000 signatures shows how the public feel about the issues despite what the government thinks."

She added: "Unless something is done it this will happen to someone else's family."

Crystal’s campaign has also received support from Conservative West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion.

During January's Mrs Buckley MP read a statement on Crystal's behalf, stressing that the changes are not intended to punish young people.

She said: "My campaign is not about punishing young people but about protecting them.

"Implementing these safety measures would help safeguard their lives by addressing the risks associated with inexperience and impulsivity, allowing them to enjoy their freedom without facing unnecessary danger.

"If people truly understand the depth of our pain along with the level of commitment we parents put into researching the overwhelming evidence, we might be taken more seriously in our fight for change.”

 The proposed changes include a minimum six-month learning period for learner drivers before they are eligible for a practical test.

They would also see the introduction of restrictions for new drivers, where for the first six months after passing their test, or until they turn 20, drivers should not carry passengers aged 25 or under unless accompanied by an older adult.

Those breaching the rules should also receive six penalty points - leading to immediate license suspension and the requirement to retake the practical test.

The final proposal is the introduction of 'Harvey’s hammer' - mandate that all cars be fitted with a tool that could smash open a window if a car is trapped, to allow occupants to escape to safety.

Last October, an inquest heard that the deaths of Harvey and his friends were preventable.

The coroner's report on preventing future deaths, submitted to the Department of Transport, warned that without implementing restrictions, more young lives could be at risk. 

The petition is available at Change.org/GraduatedLicensing.