PCC meets bereaved parents calling for tougher restrictions for young drivers in the wake of a further tragedy

Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen has expressed her shock that young drivers can still purchase illegal and unroadworthy vehicles without compulsory checks following another tragic death.  

The County Durham and Darlington PCC met Karen and John Rowlands, from Durham, earlier this week to discuss the tragic death of their son, Andrew, who was killed in a car crash in June 2020 at the age of 18.

The vehicle in which Andrew had been a passenger had been bought by a friend for £100 the night before and was illegal and unroadworthy. The car crashed, and Andrew died from his injuries.

In another incident bearing striking similarities to the case, boy racer Billy Conroy, 17, was jailed for five-and-a-half years in Newcastle last week for causing the death of his friend, 15-year-old Conner Loder, by dangerous driving.

The court had heard Conroy, who had been 16 at the time of the crash and had a history of dangerous driving, had illegally bought the car for £400.

Since Andrew’s death his parents have joined a group of bereaved relatives called the Forget Me Not Families United in demanding urgent measures to slash the high number of young driver deaths in the UK.

Last month, Blaydon and Consett MP Liz Twist tabled a Parliamentary Question concerning Andrew’s death, requesting a governmental debate on the issue to prevent future tragedies.

Joy Allen, who is the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ (APCC) Lead for Drink/Drug Driving, backed the move, and said she was astonished that lessons had not already been learned in the wake of the teenager’s death.

She said: “No family should ever have to face the anguish and devastation faced by Andrew’s parents. Sadly, as we have seen in this recent case, missed opportunities to implement change have cost another young man’s life and this is extremely hard for anyone to bear.

“Any vehicle can be used as a weapon in the wrong hands, and I am frankly astonished that young or underage drivers can still get hold of one without proof of identity, relevant insurance or experience. These are simple administrative checks that surely should be statutory for every potential sale.

“Victims are front and centre to everything I stand for as Commissioner and I will do absolutely everything in my power to support Andrew’s parents, Karen and John, and other campaigns that prevent future deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

Liz Twist, MP for Blaydon and Consett, called for a debate in parliament earlier this week.  She said today: “The tragic events that lead to Andrew Rowlands losing his life were truly heartbreaking, for his family and loved ones, they are fighting to ensure that never happens again.

“Four years on from this horrific collision and we still do not have the necessary regulations in place to avoid the sale of cars to illegal drivers, whether they are banned or underage.

“I want to thank the Rowlands family for taking the time to tell me of their story and share their concerns. I want to work with them, Durham Police and other stakeholders to ensure that we get the changes needed to ensure that this does not happen again.”

In a statement, John and Karen Rowlands, said: “Our only son, Andrew John Rowlands, tragically had his life taken on 18th June 2020 at the hands of an underaged, inexperienced and unlicensed cowardly teenage driver. The car was ruled unroadworthy and a dangerous vehicle.

“As details of this horrific tragedy started to unfold, we as law abiding citizens, were horrified by the fact the driver was able to buy a car less than 24 hours before from social media website Facebook for £100 cash without the need to produce any ID or a driving licence.

“Since that day, we have been campaigning to raise awareness of this loophole, in the hope we could avoid any further tragedies of this nature. Sadly, following this and over the last four years, we have read far too many times now of underaged or disqualified drivers still managing get their hands on a vehicle so easily through a private sale.”

The couple said Conner Lodger’s death could have been avoided had their campaigning been successful.

“The time is well overdue, and the Government must introduce new statute sooner rather than later to prevent similar tragedies from happening and further families being destroyed like ours,” they added.

You can watch Liz Twist MP raising awareness of Andrew Rowland’s case and calling for a debate in government time here:  https://youtu.be/95izXR5HzdY.
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Picture Shows (L-R): Dawn Knight (Community Safety Coordinator), Karen Rowlands, John Rowlands and Joy Allen