Calls for new driving licence rules have been echoed after more than 100,000 people signed a petition to place certain restrictions on young motorists who have recently passed their tests.
Road Safety campaigner Crystal Owen has been one of the most vocal supporters of Graduated Driving Licences following the death of her 17-year-old son, Harvey.
Harvey, and his three friends, Hugo Morris, 18, Wilf Fitchett, 17, and Jevon Hirst, 16, were travelling to Snowdonia for a camping trip when they came off the road on the A4085 in Garreg, Llanfrothen, in 2023.
The four boys were trapped in a water-filled ditch, where they all drowned, prompting urgent calls for new rules to crack down on the number of young people killed or seriously injured behind the wheel.
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Campaigners are calling for new driving licence rules to protect young people behind the wheel
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Crystal Owen, alongside Bridget Lucas, Alison Greenhouse, Joanne Alkir, Nicola Bell-Percy and Naomi Crane, delivered a petition of more than 100,000 signatures to Downing Street in April.
She described the incident as "the worst news any parent could ever receive", adding that the boys' deaths could have been prevented with tougher licence rules.
Speaking to Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley on ITV's This Morning, she said: "This is just teenage behaviour. Sadly, he never got to learn from this mistake."
The driver of the vehicle, an 18-year-old college student whom Harvey had met months prior, was keeping to the speed limit, but was inexperienced on rural roads.
Crystal Owen added: "A more experienced driver would know that just because the speed limit is 60mph, that's not a target. You have to drive to the conditions.
Crystal Owen, whose son Harvey Owen, 17, was one of four teenagers killed in a crash last year, said law changes need to be introduced PA"We're not saying young men are 'boy racers', it's all about experience."
The campaigner has called for the Government to introduce a system of Graduated Driving Licences (GDL) to improve road safety by requiring young drivers to follow specific rules.
Owen noted that the system had worked in all other countries where GDLs have been introduced, including some areas of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.
The group of bereaved parents is calling for a mandatory six-month learning period, with a particular focus on those aged between 17 and 19.
One of the most important factors included in the GDL proposal is a six-month ban on peer-aged passengers. This would be enforced unless they were accompanied by an older passenger with more experience on the road.
There would be certain exemptions, such as for young parents or those working particular jobs, but the focus would be on young drivers to pay attention to the road and improve their ability without distractions.
"Ultimately, I'm not trying to punish young people, this is actually protecting them. My son and his friends never, ever, expected to get into that car and never come home," Owen said.
She added: "I think any young people against this should speak to Harvey's remaining friends, who lost three best friends that day."
Campaigners said these changes would bring about huge safety benefits and lead to a drop in the price of insurance for young people.
Owen highlighted how the GDL system has already brought down rates of deaths and serious injuries by between 20 and 40 per cent in other areas, describing it as a "proven method".
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Joanna Alkir, Crystal Owen, Alison Greenhouse, Nicola Bell, Bridget Lucas and Naomi Crane delivered a petition to Downing Street in April
PAA spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "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, and we are considering other measures to tackle this problem and protect young drivers."
