Calls for licences reform after laughing gas crash

Teenagers Daniel Hancock, Elliot Pullen, and Ethan Goddard died in the crash

The families of three young men killed in a car crash after the driver inhaled laughing gas are calling for graduated driving licences.

Thomas Johnson, 19, was travelling 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 idea has been backed by the RAC.

It comes after Johnson was jailed for nine years and four months at Oxford Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

He had held his licence for less than a year when the crash happened.

He 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.

During sentencing, Judge Emma Nott said Johnson's actions were "all for teenage thrills".

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."

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.

"But it depends and relies on the young drivers actually following the rules and in this case if he was following the rules driving at 30mph we'd all still have our children with us."

Ethan's father, Robert Goddard, said: "People are in your car, you are responsible for them - their lives are in your hands. Drive respectfully with their lives.

"I think black boxes should be compulsory for the first couple of years. Any age, anyone passing their driving test, you're inexperienced you need to drive and learn the roads, learn what you're doing."

Melanie Goddard, Ethan's mother, added: "Cars are so powerful these days and without experience they're lethal."

Police found two nitrous oxide canisters inside the car and eight more in the boot

Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner said: "Graduated driving licences, progressive driving licences, whatever we call them in the future do need to be considered in a very sensible and pragmatic way.

"It's not about restricting young people from doing anything it's about making them safer on the roads and therefore making other people safer on the roads while they are driving.

"It's about people, whether young or old, about that sense of personal responsibility."

A spokesperson for the DfT said every death on the road was a "tragedy".

They continued: "Our thoughts remain with the families of everyone who has lost a loved one in this way.

"Whilst we are not considering graduated driving licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads, and we are considering other measures to tackle this problem and protect young drivers."