Mothers' plea for more restrictions on new drivers

Three West Midlands mothers who lost their children in fatal car crashes say the government needs to follow in the footsteps of Northern Ireland with the introduction of Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL).

Leanne Vaughan, Crystal Owen and Sue Evans are campaigning to introduce the licences, which place restrictions on drivers who have just passed their test.

The Department for Transport (DfT) currently has a consultation open for its road safety strategy, which does not include the introduction of GDL.

Leanne Vaughan, whose 17-year-old daughter Lily-May, was killed in a crash in Shawbury Heath, Shropshire, said she felt as if they were fighting a "forgotten epidemic".

"If we follow suit with Northern Ireland, they are introducing GDL, so why are our children any different?" said Vaughan, who lives in Kidderminster.

As of 1 October, Northern Ireland will become the first part of the UK to introduce graduated driver licensing reforms - similar to laws in place in Australia, the US and the Republic of Ireland.

The rules apply to all new drivers but are particularly aimed at 17 to 23-year-olds.

Some of Northern Ireland's new graduate driving licence rules include:

• For the first six months after passing their test, new drivers up to the age of 24 are only permitted to have one passenger aged between 14 and 20 in their car between the hours of 23:00 and 06:00

• That restriction does not apply to immediate family members and does not apply if someone aged 21 or over, who has held a driver's licence for at least three years, is sitting in the front seat

• New drivers will not be permitted to take their driving test for at least six months after being granted a provisional licence, with the exemption of carers

Crystal Owen, from Shrewsbury, who lost her son Harvey in 2023 in a crash in north Wales, said the move from Northern Ireland was "very significant".

"Some of the arguments are the UK can't compare their roads to places like America. However, you can look at the overall picture worldwide that car crashes in young people are the biggest killer.

"And next to suicide in the UK, it is the biggest killer.”

According to the World Health Organization, in 2025 the biggest killer of young people aged 15–29 globally was injuries and violence, including road traffic collisions, suicide and homicide.

A DfT spokesperson said: "We want to keep young people safe while supporting their access to work, education and social opportunities.

"That's why we're not introducing blanket restrictions on new drivers, such as limits on passengers or night time driving.

"Instead, we're focusing on better preparation before the test, including consulting on a minimum learning period in England, Scotland and Wales and a lower alcohol limit for new drivers in England and Wales."

Sue Evans, from Perton, Staffordshire, near Wolverhampton, lost her 18-year-old son Simon in March 2025 after the driver of the car he was a passenger in hit a tree on a road near Tong, in Shropshire.

"Simon would be alive today and countless others wouldn't be going through this nightmare we are suffering if the correct safeguards were put in place to save young drivers," she said.

At her son's inquest, it was heard the crash was caused by the "naive actions of a young, inexperienced, newly-qualified driver".

The women are now calling on people to have their say on the UK government consultation, which has been extended until May.

Some of the points include eye and cognitive tests for drivers over 70 and learner drivers facing a minimum learning period of up to six months between sitting their theory and practical tests.

The mothers said road crashes such as the ones that killed their children could be preventable.

Evans said: "It's happening all the time and it needs to stop.

"I appreciate in an ideal world there'd be no road deaths, but please go on to the government website, look at the consultation, put in your comments.

"You could be saving your own son or daughter's life by doing so."

The DfT added: "Every death on our roads is a tragedy, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Harvey, Simon and Lily-May's families."

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