Joseph Walsh
13 Jan 2025 · Coroner M.D. Fleming · West Yorkshire Western
This report repeats 2 earlier warnings, and was raised again 2 times later. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. young drivers carrying passengers
“Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car”
Linked reports
Repeats an earlier warningCaitlin Huddleston and Skye Mitchell25 Sept 2018 · 6 years 4 months earlier
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier 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.”
This report
“Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.92 · high
Earlier report
“As set out above, the court found that it was possible that the fact that [the deceased] had only just passed his driving test contributed to the collision.”
This report
“Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
This 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.”
Later report
“newly qualified drivers may carry multiple peer-age passengers immediately after passing their test.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.92 · high
This 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”
Later report
“I am concerned that when 17 year olds pass a driving test, they can drive on any road in the UK including motorways without any adult supervision.”
Responses
2025-0023-Response-from-Department-of-Transport.pdf ↗· Department for Transport
Stated action
“we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers”