The sentencing of Edward Spencer for causing the deaths of three teenagers has prompted renewed calls for the government to implement graduated driving licenses to improve novice driver safety.

Graduated licensing typically entails issuing an intermediate licence with restrictions, such as nighttime trips or journeys with multiple passengers, to limit new drivers’ exposure to high-risk situations.

Spencer, 19, passed his driving test six weeks before causing the deaths of passengers Harry Purcell, 17, Tilly Seccombe, and Frank Wormald, both 16, through careless driving, Warwick Crown Court heard.

Spencer, a student at Chipping Campden School in Gloucestershire, was driving at 64 mph towards his home in Newbold on Stour, Warwickshire, in April 2023, when he lost control of his Ford Fiesta and collided with another car.

The trainee joiner was sentenced to two years in prison on Monday after admitting to causing serious injury to two children and their stepmother in the second vehicle.

In statements issued following Spencer’s sentencing, relatives of the victims urged the government to impose stricter rules for new drivers.

Tilly’s mother, Juliet Seccombe, said in a statement: “Even though the number of young drivers has decreased significantly since 2010, in 2023 they will cause 4,959 deaths and serious injuries on the roads.

“That’s over 95 per week. According to government data, this number has increased by 11% from the previous year, and these collisions are almost never accidents; they are almost always preventable, and they are caused by young drivers using or holding mobile phones, driving at inappropriate speeds or speeding on rural roads, risk taking and showing off, and drug abuse, all of which, when combined with inexperience, is a recipe for disaster.

“The saddest part about it is that it’s generally innocent bystanders or other road users who are killed or suffer life-changing injuries – not the irresponsible driver.”

Ms Seccombe sent a direct message to the government, saying, “While you are not considering graduated driving licences, you have recognised that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads.”

“You’ve been looking into ways to address the root causes of this for decades. It is time for action, not procrastination. Otherwise, more families will be devastated by the loss of their loved ones.