Crash death families feel 'insulted' by minister

"Why is more not being done? It's an absolute insult to us bereaved parents."

The damning verdict of Crystal Owen - after a minister told grieving families there are no plans to place greater restrictions on young and newly qualified drivers.

A devastated mother turned determined campaigner, Ms Owen told Politics Midlands the government must explain that decision, which she claimed went against expert advice.

The government insisted it was committed to engaging with road safety campaigners and said the area was one of "huge public concern".

The mother, from Shrewsbury, lost her 17-year-old son Harvey, who died alongside three friends in a crash in North Wales in November 2023.

Since then, she has been campaigning to reduce the number of young people killed on the country's roads, and argues graduated driving licences are key to this.

A Westminster Hall debate organised by Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley to discuss road safety was told last week that one in five newly qualified drivers has a crash within their first year on the road.

Responding for the government, roads minister Lilian Greenwood said graduated licences were not under consideration but options to tackle the root causes of fatal collisions were being explored.

Speaking to the BBC's Elizabeth Glinka, Ms Owen said she believed her son would still be here today if restrictions on young drivers were in place.

"I don't know how they could look us in the eye and say that they're not even considering it," she said.

"I cannot understand why they are not listening to the behavioural experts [and] the road safety experts. There's decades' worth of evidence there."

Antonia Bance, the Labour MP for Tipton and Wednesbury, appeared on Politics Midlands alongside Ms Owen and said her party was committed to taking action.

"It might not be exactly what Crystal and the campaigners are asking for but it's right that we take the time to get this right," Ms Bance said.

"We need to look at whether options around additional education and different ways of dealing with this problem might work alongside action around things like speed limits which would affect all drivers."

Nigel Huddleston, the Conservative MP for Droitwich and Evesham, added Ms Owen was gaining support across the political spectrum.

"We don't do enough to have young people learning how to go on rural roads," he said.

"That's a really important point."

• Watch Politics Midlands on BBC One in the West Midlands at 10:00 GMT on Sunday. The show will be available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.

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