Sister of Fatal Crash Victim Finds Learning to Drive “Too Daunting”

The sister of a teenager who died in a vehicle collision is apprehensive about learning to drive following the incident. Callum Griffiths, 19, from Porth, was killed in a crash in Coedely, Rhondda Cynon Taf, last December, along with his friends, Morgan Smith, 18, and Jesse Owen, 18. Erin Griffiths, 16, is eligible for her provisional licence next year, but she stated that she already experiences anxiety and plans to postpone her driving lessons. She remarked, “Since Callum, it is a lot more daunting to think about my friends in a car or me in a car. It’s really scary. You never know what can happen to you.” Callum’s smiling face on the wall is the first thing visible upon entering the living room of his family home. As the anniversary of his death approaches, it is clear that this family is still striving to navigate life without him. His mother, Natalie, commented, “It just gets harder.” She added, “Because the reality of having to get up every day and live without Callum has really set in. How do we get up every day knowing our son isn’t here?” The night of the crash remains vivid in Natalie’s memory. She recalls the family undertaking the 15-minute journey to the scene after receiving a phone call from a friend who lived nearby. She recounted, “She told me the car was in half and I just remember praying, all the way to Coedely.” Natalie further stated, “Just praying ‘let Callum be OK, just let him be OK’.” Although they were informed at the scene that Callum had died, Natalie said she did not fully comprehend it until later. She expressed, “Our world just crumbled.” She continued, “I do feel when we lost Callum we lost a part of ourselves. I am not the person I used to be, my husband is not the same person. There is a huge void that will never, ever be filled.” Last month, an inquest into the deaths of the three teenagers determined that the car lost control and collided with a bus after entering a bend at approximately 50mph (80km/h). The family has not yet decided how they will commemorate the anniversary, but they held a party for Callum, who would have turned 20 on 2 November. Siblings Erin and Callum shared a very close relationship, with Erin referring to him as her “best friend and biggest protector”. The 16-year-old, who was just 15 when her brother passed away, mentioned that the party served as an important focus and, she admitted, a distraction. She explained, “Instead of thinking that Callum is not here for his birthday, we have this big celebration.” Another area of focus for Natalie has been her involvement as a member of Forget Me Not Families Uniting, a group of grieving families. They are campaigning for amendments to the law concerning new drivers. Natalie believes that a graduated driver’s licence, which could impose a limit on the number of passengers young people are permitted to carry, is a “no brainer”. However, last month, the UK government appeared to dismiss this idea, stating it was not considering any changes. This position is maintained despite a petition, initiated by another mother whose son died in Wales, having gathered around 25,000 signatures. Natalie remarked, “It’s very frustrating.” She added, “And more so knowing I have got a child who is coming up to driving age, who is now put off from wanting to learn to drive because she is so aware of the dangers.” Erin stated that her friends support the proposed changes, and she hopes the tragic circumstances of her brother’s death will encourage people to drive more cautiously. She commented, “We never expected this to happen to Callum, you never know who it is going to happen to. It is always playing on my mind.” Addressing those who suggest that any changes could restrict the freedoms of young people, Natalie offered a simple and direct response. She declared, “The biggest limit of all has been placed on Callum because he has no life to live any longer. The greatest legacy we can leave for Callum is to try and make some change.”