Caitlin Huddleston and Skye Mitchell
25 Sept 2018 · Coroner Robert Chapman · Cumbria
A similar concern from this report was raised again 6 times later. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. inexperienced driver
“That [the deceased] was a driver with only 4 months driving experience after passing her driving test”
2. passenger carriage increases risk
“The carrying of passengers in the car increases the likelihood of death or injury not only to the driver but also to the passengers being carried, therefore multiplies the risk”
Linked reports
Raised again laterWilfred Fitchett, Jevon Hirst, Hugo Morris and Harvey Owen17 Oct 2024 · 6 years 1 month later
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“(5) The carrying of passengers in the car increases the likelihood of death or injury not only to the driver but also to the passengers being carried, therefore multiplies the risk.”
Later report
“[the deceased] was aged 18 at the time of his death following the collision and had passed his driving test on 23 May 2023. This was 6 months and 16 days prior to the collision. At the time of the collision, he was legally carrying 3 other young persons, his friends.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“The carrying of passengers in the car increases the likelihood of death or injury not only to the driver but also to the passengers being carried, therefore multiplies the risk.”
Later report
“Currently there are no legal restrictions upon the licences of young and /or newly qualified drivers and the current vehicle licensing regime permits the carrying of young persons as passengers in circumstances such as these”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“The carrying of passengers in the car increases the likelihood of death or injury not only to the driver but also to the passengers being carried, therefore multiplies the risk.”
Later report
“Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“The carrying of passengers in the car increases the likelihood of death or injury not only to the driver but also to the passengers being carried, therefore multiplies the risk.”
Later report
“There is currently ongoing public concern that inexperienced drivers are able to carry young passengers within the first six months of having passed their test.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“(1) That [the deceased] was a driver with only 4 months driving experience after passing her driving test;”
Later report
“newly qualified drivers may carry multiple peer-age passengers immediately after passing their test.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“(1) That [the deceased] was a driver with only 4 months driving experience after passing her driving test;”
Later report
“The driver of the vehicle which crashed was 17 years of age. The three passengers in the car including [the deceased] who died were also under 18.”
Responses
2025-0056-Response-from-Department-for-Transport-July-2021.pdf ↗· Department for Transport
Stated action · March 2019
“In March 2019, DfT's THINK! team ran a campaign directly targeting new drivers”
Stated action · March 2020
“In March 2020, we funded the Driving Instructors Association (DIA) to develop a modular approach to learning”
Stated action · 5-year strategy
“The Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency's (DVSA) 5 -year strategy”
Stated action · December 2017
“Changes were made to the practical driving test in December 2017”
Stated action
“The latest statistics show that the number of young car drivers (age 17-24) fatalities on Britain's roads is falling”
Stated action · January 2019
“The Driver 2020 project (an evaluation of interventions to improve the safety of young novice drivers) commenced in January 2019 and over 28,000 learner and novice drivers have been recruited”
2025-0056-Response-from-Department-for-Transport-November-2018.pdf ↗· Department for Transport
Stated action
“the Department has decided to use the introduction of GDL in Northern Ireland as a pilot, to gather evidence on the potential for GDL in Great Britain.”