Government 'failing to protect young people' with road safety laws
Shropshire mother, Crystal Owen, is calling for a 'graduated driving licence'
A bereaved mother from Shrewsbury has told us she feels that the government's road safety laws are 'failing to protect young people'.
Ministers are considering an overhaul of road safety laws, but Crystal Owen said the proposals do not go far enough.
Crystal's story:
Harvey died in a car crash at 17. Ever since her son's death, Crystal has been campaigning for the law to be changed to limit new drivers.
It is called a 'graduated driving licence' and is used in various countries worldwide to keep drivers safe.
Restrictions that come with the licence can include curfews and limits on the number of passengers.
An overhaul of road safety laws...
Ministers are considering cutting the drink-drive limit in England and Wales and introducing mandatory eye tests for older drivers.
The proposals, set to be published as part of a road safety strategy in the autumn, also include tougher penalties for uninsured driving and failing to wear a seatbelt.
On Britain's roads last year, 1,633 people were killed and almost 28,000 seriously injured in traffic incidents, and numbers have remained relatively constant following a large fall between 2000 and 2010.
'It would save so many lives'
Crystal told us she welcomed any changes to the law to improve road safety, but was disappointed there was no mention to young drivers in the proposals:
"We are losing five teenagers a week on our roads, it is shocking that the government is choosing to ignore implementing a graduated driving licence.
"It would save so many lives," she said.
'My life ended the day Harvey died'
After losing her son Harvey, Crystal tells us the impact fatal collisions involving young people have on the community:
"My life ended the day Harvey died, I just exist now. There is not only that though, but the cost on the economy.
"We could save the government billions of pounds with our graduated driving licence scheme.
"We have spoken to people in the emergency services who have become suicidal from experiencing these fatal collisions and having to deal with the aftermath.
"Our graduated driving licence is calling for 17-19 year-olds to have a 6 month learning period to gain experience on all road conditions.
"We are also recommending that young people should not be allowed to have peer-age passengers in their car for the first 6 months after they pass," she said.
'Protecting road users'
So far, there are no plans from the government to bring in a graduated driving licence.
A Labour source said: "This Labour Government will deliver the first road safety strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and restoring order to our roads."
Their strategy is due to be published in the autumn, and all proposals will be subject to consultation.