Powerful message from teen killed in road crash
It's hoped Caitlin's Message will raise awareness of driver inexperience
Last updated 17th Sep 2021
A powerful message from a teenager from Cumbria is being delivered to newly qualified drivers across the UK in a bid to save lives.
Caitlin Huddleston was killed in a horror crash along with her friend who was driving on the A595 in Millom in 2017.
Her parents Sharron and Mike have teamed up with the AA to deliver 'Caitlin's message' to help raise awareness of the dangers of inexperience behind the wheel.
The letter 'from Caitlin' will be printed in thousands of booklets to be distributed across the Country.
Our reporter and campaigner Michelle Livesey has been speaking to Edmund King, President of the AA and Chairman of the AA Charitable Trust - who helped put it together:
Here's what the full letter says::
"Hi! Congratulations on passing your test. I didn't quite get round to mine...
When I was 18 I was applying for my provisional licence when one evening I accepted a lift from my 18-year-old friend. She was a novice driver...like you are now!
All the research on novice drivers and rural roads was proven right on that evening. If my parents or I had known this life-saving information, I wonder what I would be doing now?
My parents often wonder this. Unfortunately we will never know..
I was tragically killed as a passenger in a fatal car crash on a rural road just 15 minutes after being picked up from my family home... So now I am forever 18.
I was looking forward that summer to going to my first music festival... I had everything ready to go... but I was buried in my local churchyard on that day instead.
Don't ever think it won't happen to you. My parents didn't think it would happen to me. How wrong they were.
Please share the advice on these pages with your family and friends to raise awareness among young newly qualified drivers and their parents and carers to help save young lives on our roads.
Please take care driving so you have a future.
Mine was taken from me.
Love Caitlin x
To see the full booklet featuring Caitlin's Message click here