Mum turns grief into lifesaving lesson for teens

A mum who lost her son in a car crash 14 years ago hopes to save lives by talking to young people about road safety.

Becci Hey has taken part in Guernsey's annual tri-service initiative 'Licence to Kill', to encourage road safety among the island's year 11 students.

The scheme, run by Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service, Guernsey Police and Guernsey's Ambulance and Rescue Service, took place at the Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"It gives me the chance to talk about Josh," she said. "It gives me a chance to share his story and in doing so I know I'm saving lives. In the 12 years I've been doing this, it is saving lives."

Hey said her son had just turned 20 when he died in the crash.

"He was a passenger in a car driven by a driver that chose to speed," she said.

"The driver lost control of that car...with an impact of the car hitting a tree at 65mph."

Hey said making the wrong choice can lead to "fatal" consequences.

PC Matt Du Port from the roads policing team said the scheme enables them to educate young people before they start using the roads themselves.

"I want to reduce death and injuries on the island's roads," Du Port said.

"By doing this, I think it's a really good way to connect with the kids at a younger age before they start using the roads properly.

"It allows us to get in there early, get that safety advice out there and show them a bit of real world consequences if they do break the law," he added.

Gavin Robins, crew commander from the fire service, said the scheme covered the fatal four.

"Seatbelts, speeding, using mobile phones while driving and drink and drug driving," he said.

"It's aimed at addressing the dangers on Guernsey's roads.

"We try to catch the drivers at the age of 16 before they are driving cars."

Emilia Klucznyk, a paramedic with the island's ambulance service, hoped the scheme would raise awareness.

"Guernsey is small but accidents like this do happen unfortunately," she said.

"When you're young and you're excited to drive a car you think 'it's just an exciting thing' but the reality is, it's a very dangerous thing to be able to do."

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