Parents’ bid to stop road tragedies
THE devastated parents of a talented and promising teenager killed in a car crash have told how “she was going to achieve something in life, but will now achieve something in death instead”.
Jo and Mesut Alkir have vowed that 17-year-old Olivia’s legacy will be to save lives as they release a powerful video that every parent and child should see.
Olivia’s life was “torn away in an instant” in a horror smash on the B5105 between Ruthin and Clawddnewydd in June 2019.
She was a rear-seat passenger in a Ford Fiesta being driven by then 17-year-old Edward Ryan Bell who had only passed his driving test the day before.
But he was irresponsible and reckless enough to race his friend Thomas Henry Quick along the lanes.
The pair had been caught on dashcam hours before the crash, driving dangerously and “playing Russian roulette with their passengers’ lives” despite their desperate pleas to slow down.
Such was Bell’s status as a novice driver that he was due the very next day to have a black box fitted in his car.
They were jailed for five years for death by dangerous driving.
Olivia had been swimming at Brenig Reservoir that fateful day and had been described as “living life to the full” before tragedy struck, leaving her family, friends and the community devastated.
Now a video entitled Olivia’s Story will be rolled out across schools and to young drivers across Wales as part of a national campaign to save young lives.
Olivia’s mum Jo wants parents and guardians to have a conversation with their children who are learning to drive or have recently passed their driving test, in a bid to spare others from suffering the same unimaginable grief they have had to endure.
Speaking in 2020, on the first anniversary of Olivia’s death, she said: “As a tribute to Olivia, I want people to use the day to have a conversation – parent to child or even child to child.
“If you’ve got a friend who drives badly, please talk to them.
“Some parents seem to think getting the best or fastest car for their child is the right thing to do when it’s not. It’s feeding their ego.
“You cannot change the red mist that comes over when a boy gets behind the wheel of a car, so you have to take away the risk and opportunity by having a black box and only allowing them to carry one passenger for the first year.
“Other countries have this in place. Driving is a skill that requires focus and respect.
“If one conversation can save a life then we’ve done a good job and we will work with the police to keep spreading our message – that this beautiful, intelligent, wonderful girl that could have gone far was an innocent victim in a race between two egos.”
Olivia’s Story was launched at Cineworld earlier this week in partnership with North Wales Police and will be shown across Wales as part of the SchoolBeat programme.
Chief Constable Carl Foulkes said: “Olivia’s story is truly heartbreaking and this powerful film aims to help educate young people about the importance of staying safe on the roads.
“Sadly, young drivers are more likely to be involved in road traffic collisions, often due to inexperience and lack of knowledge on the risks.
“The film will target new, or pre-drivers and aims to help them be aware of their responsibilities and the devastating consequences that can occur.
“This collision had a devastating effect on Olivia’s family and friends.
“The tragic circumstances surrounding the collision and the fact that Olivia lost her life that afternoon was felt throughout the whole community of Ruthin.
“We are so grateful to Olivia’s parents who have allowed us to tell her story in such a powerful way, and in one which will be told to pupils right across Wales.”
North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin added: “Olivia’s Story is a result of a tragic loss for a family and community, but may help ensure no other families or communities experience the same awful loss.
“I’d like to pay tribute to Olivia’s family and friends for taking part in the film and for sharing both their message of loss as well as the lessons that we should all learn to stay safe on the roads.”