Families vow to keep up pressure for restrictions on young drivers
Crystal Owen from Shrewsbury is among those campaigning for graduated driving licences.
Last updated 18th Apr 2024
A Shrewsbury mum has said she will keep up the pressure on ministers, as she continues to campaign for tighter restrictions on young drivers.
Crystal Owen's 17-year-old son, Harvey, died in Gwynedd, North Wales in November after the car he was in left the road and overturned.
His friends - Wilf Fitchett, Jevon Hirst, and Hugo Morris - were also killed.
Yesterday (17 April), Crystal met with Roads Minister Guy Opperman to call for tighter restrictions on young drivers.
She wants graduated driving licences to be introduced, which would restrict what young drivers are able to do when they first pass their test.
Crystal told us she wants to see positive change to saves lives: "Why am I speaking so soon after the death of my son? I shouldn't have to be doing this.
"I'm speaking out because I can't sit back and see these countless stories on the news. Every day there are road crashes.
"The week Harvey died I counted eleven. It's a daily occurrence, young people are dying on the roads or causing crashes."
She told us Harvey's death has been devastating: "All that's left of his physical self is an urn full of ashes that I've not even been able to face collect.
"To me that's final then... I can't face the reality that this is the end for him".
Restrictions young drivers could face under a graduated driving licence include the number of passengers they can carry and whether they're able to drive at night.
Crystal told us she doesn't believe the move would be unfair on youngsters: "From the policymakers in the past they've they say that its too restrictive for young people.
"We're not restricting young drivers - we're making sure they have a future to enjoy."