Families of three young men killed in a car crash after the driver inhaled laughing gas are demanding graduated driving licenses. They argue that stricter rules for new drivers, including passenger limits and vehicle restrictions, could prevent similar tragedies.
The families of three young men killed in a car crash after the driver inhaled laughing gas are calling for graduated driving licenses. Thomas Johnson, 19, was traveling at speeds of 100mph before his car hit a tree in Marcham, Oxfordshire, killing his passengers. Now the families of Ethan Goddard, Daniel Hancock, both 18, and Elliot Pullen, 17, are backing restrictions on new drivers.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) said the government was not considering graduated driving licences. But the families still plan to put pressure on MPs and the government to enforce restrictions, such as how many passengers new drivers can have. A graduated licencing system would introduce restrictions on new drivers that would be lifted as they pass certain stages, and the ideaFootage showed 19-year-old Thomas Johnson inhaling laughing gas from a balloon before the crashHe had been driving his BMW 3 Series at speed along the A415 towards Abingdon just after midnight on 20 June 2023. Three videos recorded by the young men show the driver and some of the passengers with inflated balloons in their mouths and the vehicle being driven at excessive speed.Laura Oakes, Elliot's auntie, said she fully supported the graduated driving licence scheme. Ms Oakes said: 'To prevent young, new, inexperienced drivers from carrying a car full but also having access to vehicles that I believe are too powerful for their user. 'I think the BMW, that's such a high-powered car for an 18-year-old to be driving, I appreciate he passed his test, but I think it needs to be made more difficult for people to drive and have access to that sort of power.' From left to right: Elliot's sister Mia Pullen, Elliot's aunt Jessica Pagan-Davies, Daniel's dad and mum, Alex and Melanie Hancock Daniel's father, Alex Hancock, said: 'This is a horrendous situation to be in so anything that can be done to stop another family going through what we're going through I think that would help
ROAD SAFETY DRIVING LICENSES FATAL CRASH YOUTH LAUGHING GAS
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