Bereaved Mums take fight for safer young driver laws to Number 10

Crystal Owen (centre) delivers her petition to the Prime Minsiter, supported by other bereaved Mums

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱.

And that never changes - no matter what their age, or even if your beloved child has been 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 from you in a needless road crash.

In fact, that kind of loss often strengthens your resolve.

You fight harder.

You speak louder.

You stand taller - for them.

𝗛𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗞 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗚𝗗𝗟) 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 - decades ago - lives could have been saved. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱’𝘀.

This week, Crystal Owen, surrounded by fellow bereaved mothers - each one determined to honour their child’s memory - 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟬 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁.

Crystal was joined by the mothers of other young car crash victims, Bridget Lucas, Alison Greenhouse, Joanne Alkir, Nicola Bell, Naomi Crane, Sharron Huddleston and Nicole Taylor. They are all members of Forget-me-not Families Uniting - a group of over 220 bereaved parents who are demanding immediate action to tackle the unacceptable and disproportionately high number of young driver and passenger deaths on Britain’s roads.

More than 100,000 people have now signed her petition for a GDL system. She launched it just six months ago, after the heartbreaking death of her 17-year-old son, Harvey, in a crash.

GDL is backed by:

• Chief Constables

• Council leaders

• Police and Crime Commissioners

• MPs and Coroners

• Road safety experts

• Leading psychologists and neuroscientists

Yet still, the Government says it’s 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 "𝘪𝘵".

But here’s the truth: 𝗚𝗗𝗟 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲.

Around the world, schemes vary widely. We don’t care what it’s called.

We just want a 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 that supports young drivers through their most dangerous months behind the wheel - 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵, 𝗼𝗿 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹.

To the remarkable parents of 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁-𝗺𝗲-𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:

𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗽.

Keep going.

Keep fighting.

You are not alone.

We are with you, every step of the way.

You can still sign the petition here.

Sharron Huddleston, who has courageously fought for Graduated Driving Licensing since the tragic death of her daughter, Caitlin