A senior coroner has issued a stark warning that more people will die unless urgent action is taken regarding newly qualified drivers. The warning follows the tragic deaths of two Warwickshire teenagers in a horrific crash last year.
The Tragic Incident in Shipston-on-Stour
Matilda 'Tilly' Seccombe and Harry Purcell, both students, died in April 2023 after the car they were passengers in crashed. The driver, Edward Spencer, was just 17 years old and had passed his driving test only weeks before the fatal incident near Shipston-on-Stour.
During court proceedings, it was revealed Spencer showed a 'cavalier' disregard for speed and safe driving moments before the crash. He was driving a Ford Fiesta on a country road and lost control on a Z bend after reaching speeds of around 64mph, causing the vehicle to 'lift-off over steer'.
Coroner's Report Highlights Systemic Failings
This week, acting area coroner for Coventry and Warwickshire, Linda Karen Hadfield Lee, published a report urging authorities to act. She stated that a failure to address the risks faced by new drivers will result in future deaths.
The report outlines several critical concerns with the current licensing system:
- Newly qualified drivers can immediately carry multiple passengers of a similar age, which combined with inexperience and a full car, significantly elevates risk.
- The standard driving test does not require new drivers to demonstrate an understanding of how passengers affect a vehicle's braking, stability, and handling.
- Learners are not required to gain experience on challenging rural roads with tight bends, variable surfaces, or undulations, despite collision risk being highest in the early post-test period.
The coroner's report concluded: "In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths by addressing the concerns set out."
Sentencing and the Call for Change
Earlier this year, Edward Spencer was sentenced to 24 months in a youth detention facility and was banned from driving for eight years.
The coroner's prevention of future deaths report has now been formally sent to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the Department for Transport. It calls for a review of whether the current licensing arrangements include a structured progression stage aligned to the high-risk period new drivers face.
This tragic case in Warwickshire has placed a national spotlight on the ongoing debate about graduated driver licensing and how to better protect young, inexperienced drivers and their passengers on UK roads.
