Coroner calls for action around new drivers

A coroner has called for action to be taken around newly qualified drivers after the deaths of three teenagers in a crash in Warwickshire.

It follows inquests for 16-year-old Matilda - Tilly - Seccombe and Harry Purcell, 17, who along with Frank Wormald, 16, were killed in a crash near Shipston-on-Stour in April 2023.

Edward Spencer, 17 at the time of the crash, had only passed his test six weeks earlier. In April 2025 he was given a two-year custodial sentence after admitting causing their deaths by careless driving.

Linda Karen Hadfield Lee, HM Acting Area Coroner for Coventry and Warwickshire, asked for responses from a number of organisations, including the Department for Transport (DfT), and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Addressing the government, she said the inquest noted that newly qualified drivers could carry "multiple peer-age passengers" immediately after passing their test.

"This case suggests that inexperience, peer presence and full vehicle loading can combine to elevate risk, and it is unclear how current licensing arrangements address these combined factors," the report said.

Last year, Tilly and Harry's mothers joined other calls for restrictions on young drivers. They backed a petition started by Crystal Owen following the death of her son Harvey in Wales alongside three of his friends.

However, in August, Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones told the BBC there were no plans to introduce such measures, over concerns they might "unfairly discriminate" against young parents or carers.

The AA was among those to criticise the government for not including stronger driving licence rules for new and young motorists in its planned overhaul of driving laws.

In response at the time, the DfT said: "Whilst we are not considering graduated driving licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads and continue to tackle this through our THINK! campaign."

It said it was considering other measures instead.

Warwick Crown Court heard in April that Spencer had a history of "showing off" at the wheel and the inquest heard that unsafe driving behaviour was recorded and shared privately on Snapchat prior to the crash.

She said the "sharing of high-risk driving among peers... raised concern that such use may normalise, encourage or reinforce risk-taking behaviour".

Ms Lee said the inquest had received no information on whether Snapchat was able to detect or review content, but wrote to its owners Snap Group Ltd for more information.

The coroner also said there was a concern as to whether the current licensing arrangements properly reflected the conditions that young drivers faced.

The BBC has contacted Snap Inc for comment.

She referred to the fact that the new drivers were not required to demonstrate an understanding of how passengers affect braking, stability and handling.

Ms Lee said the standard driving test did not require experience on rural roads with tight bends, undulations or variable grip.

The crash happened on the rural, single-carriageway B4035 near the Portobello crossroads in Shipston-on-Stour.

Addressing the DVSA, Ms Hadfield Lee said driving test requirements did not involve passengers or load-related vehicle dynamics, which she said raised concerns about whether the competencies that were assessed corresponded to those required during the early stages of independent driving.

Concluding, she said the organisations had until 18 February 2026 to respond.

"Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action."

"Otherwise, you must explain why no action is proposed."

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