Fresh calls have been made to introduce new driving licence restrictions on young motorists following the tragic deaths of two teenagers in the West Midlands.
A coroner has written to the Department for Transport, DVSA and the charity Brake following the deaths of Matilda Seccombe, 16, Harry Purcell, 17, and Frank Wormald, 16.
The inquest into the deaths of Ms Seccombe and Mr Purcell found that they suffered catastrophic injuries in an accident caused by a 17-year-old driver, who had only received his licence six weeks earlier.
The driver admitted causing their deaths by careless driving in Warwickshire and was sentenced to a detention in a Young Offender Institution and disqualified from driving for eight years.
HM Acting Area Coroner for Coventry and Warwickshire, Linda Karen Hadfield Lee, reported that the accident took place in April 2023 on the rural B4035 in Shipston-on-Stour.
The inquest found that the weather was clear and “slow” markings were on the carriageway, although the road featured sharp bends.
It noted that the vehicle was travelling at excessive speed, which was not appropriate for the location, the road layout, and the presence of young passengers.
Ms Seccombe, who was known as Tilly, expressed concerns to her friends about the driver’s actions behind the wheel, with the inquest stating that her parents were unaware of these fears.
Fresh calls have been made by a coroner for the Government to take action to strengthen restrictions for young motorists
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Given the excessive speed, the coroner judged the driver to have lost control by lifting his foot off the accelerator after realising too late that he had entered the bend too quickly.
The inquest even stated that the driver was described as a “habitual bad driver, showing off, driving too fast, and displaying a very poor attitude to speed”.
The coroner warned that similar incidents involving young drivers could continue to take place unless appropriate action is taken.
Ms Lee said: “The inquest noted that newly qualified drivers may carry multiple peer-age passengers immediately after passing their test.
Graduated Driving Licences have gained support to improve safety for younger motorists | PA“This case suggests that inexperience, peer presence and full vehicle loading can combine to elevate risk, and it is unclear how current licensing arrangements address these combined factors.”
She identified that new drivers are not required to demonstrate an understanding of how passengers in the vehicle affect braking, stability and handling, nor are they expected to know about travelling on rural roads.
Ms Lee also sent a copy of the report to the DVSA, stating how driving test requirements do not represent real-world standards, especially when travelling on rural roads and handling.
Graduated Driving Licences have gained support in recent years, with experts and bereaved parents calling for new rules to be introduced for young motorists to reduce the risk of accidents and deaths.
The most popular recommendations include a ban on same-age passengers for the first six months of licence ownership, a nighttime driving curfew and a zero-tolerance drink-driving limit.
A DfT spokesperson told GB News: “Every death on our roads is a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.
“Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driving Licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads.”
The spokesperson added that it was “exploring options” to investigate the cause of such incidents without “unfairly penalising young drivers”.
