Live updates as road close after tragic death of 16 passengers in Double decker bus
16 teenagers were killed in an accident.
A coroner has raised concerns about young, newly-qualified drivers carrying passengers after an inquest into the deaths of 16 teenagers who died when their car rolled into a ditch in North Wales.
Hugo Morris, 18, lost control of his silver Ford Fiesta on the A4085 in Garreg, Llanfrothen, between Penrhyndeudraeth and Beddgelert, on November 19 last year while on a camping trip to Snowdonia with Jevon Hirst, 16, Harvey Owen, 17, and Wilf Fitchett, 17etc. all from the Shropshire area
An inquest held in Caernarfon on Wednesday heard Mr Morris, described by his family as having a “thirst for life”, had passed his driving test just more than six months before and “wanted an adventure with his friends”.
Dr Anton van Dellen, representing the family of Harvey, whose mother Crystal has campaigned for graduated driving licences for new drivers, said the coroner should consider making a report for the prevention of future deaths.
He said: “One of the features of this case is that there were three children travelling with the driver on a road in North Wales, presumably heading to a place of recreation
“That’s a scenario which in my opinion is very likely to reoccur in the future.”
Wilf’s mother Heather Sanderson said: “We gave Wilf permission to go because we believed that the driver had passed his driving test, which he had, and we were more than happy.
“We had done our research and I think we would make the decision again, not knowing the outcome. I don’t think our decision was flawed.”
Senior coroner for north west Wales Kate Robertson said she would write to the Department for Transport and the DVLA to raise concerns that deaths could continue to occur where “young, newly-qualified drivers are permitted to carry passengers”.
Speaking outside the coroner’s court, Ms Owen said she was “very happy” with the outcome but the Government still needed to act.
