Bereaved mothers share heartbreaking stories of loss to help prevent future tragedies
- 24 hours ago
- 2 min read
Two bereaved mothers have bravely shared their experiences of losing their teenage sons in road crashes in a powerful new film highlighting the devastating impact of collisions involving young drivers.
Crystal Owen and Nicola Bell-Percy speak openly about the lifelong reality of losing a child and why they continue to use their voices in the hope of preventing other families from experiencing the same pain.
The short film gives a deeply personal insight into the consequences of young driver road deaths through the experiences of two mothers whose lives changed forever.
Crystal's 17-year-old son, Harvey, was killed in a crash in Wales in 2023, along with three of his teenage friends. The 18-year-old driver had passed his test just six months earlier when he lost control of the vehicle.
In the film, Crystal describes the reality of life after losing a child. She said:
“Losing a child, it's like a constant internal panic attack. Every day you just feel guilty for being here and your child's not here. It's just the worst pain you could ever imagine in your life.”
Nicola's son Aaron Bell, 18, was killed along with two friends, aged 17 and 18, when a the 18-year-old driver lost control of the car at 75mph
Reflecting on the impact of losing her son, Nicola says:
“It isn't just about losing Aaron. You lose so much more as well. Your family and friends disappear because they can't walk with you in the grief.
Nicola also recalls the final message Aaron sent to a friend shortly before the crash.
“My son's last message to a friend was, ‘OMG, please help me.’ And that was literally seconds before the impact.”
The film also explores why bereaved families continue speaking out after tragedy.
Crystal says: “Everybody thinks when bereaved people campaign that it's therapy. It's not therapy for me.
“Remembering my son for the loving boy he was, and not associating him with road death, that's what's therapeutic.”
The film has been released by Protect Young Drivers, which brings together bereaved families, road safety professionals, researchers, emergency services, policymakers and supporters who share a common goal - reducing the number of young people killed and seriously injured on UK roads.
