A tragic incident in Snowdonia has left four teenagers dead after a car crash involving an inexperienced young driver. The driver, 18-year-old Hugo Morris, had only passed his driving test just over six months before the accident occurred. The car rolled into a ditch on the way to a camping trip in Snowdonia, resulting in the deaths of Hugo and his three friends, Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen, and Wilf Fitchett, all from Shropshire.
Following an inquest in Caernarfon, concerns have been raised by the coroner about inexperienced young drivers carrying passengers. The coroner, Kate Robertson, announced plans to write to the Department for Transport and the DVLA to express these concerns and potentially advocate for restrictions on newly qualified drivers carrying passengers.
The families of the victims have also spoken out, with Wilf’s mother expressing her belief that they had made the decision for Wilf to travel with Hugo based on the fact that he had passed his driving test. The families of the victims are pushing for changes to the current driving license system to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The court heard that additional signage and safety measures have been put in place following the crash, but there were still concerns about the lack of warning signs in the area. The coroner plans to issue a report calling for further safety measures, including a safety barrier and repairs to damaged fences.
The bodies of the teenagers were discovered the morning after they were reported missing by recycling collectors who spotted the overturned vehicle in a ditch. Post-mortem results showed that the teenagers had drowned, despite not suffering significant injuries from the crash. Forensic collision investigators indicated that the speed of the vehicle was a factor in the accident, as well as the heavy rain that had caused water levels to rise in the area.
Overall, this tragic incident has sparked calls for changes to the current driving license system and increased safety measures on the roads to prevent similar accidents in the future. The families of the victims are advocating for graduated driving licenses for new drivers to ensure their safety and the safety of others on the road.
