THE sister of a teenager who died in a road collision speaks about the family’s loss in a hard hitting DVD being shown across west Cheshire.
Tamsin Cook, 18, from Chester recorded her story for council road safety officers in the hope it will prevent other families suffering what hers is going through.
The DVD is being highlighted as Brake, the national road safety, has chosen the theme Too Young To Die for Road Safety week which takes place beginning November 21.
Too Young To Die was also the name of The Chronicle’s campaign - launched at the time of the tragedy in 2006 - which was also supported by Tamsin and her sisters Bryony and Katherine.
Tamsin’s 16-year-old brother Tristan and his friend Dominic Arnold, also aged 16, were killed in a car crash on the A41 in Chester, when the driver of the vehicle they were travelling in lost control on the A41 near Dragonhall in Tattenhall in 2006.
On the DVD, she speaks openly of the effect this has had on her family over the past five years.
Tamsin agreed to the recording and said: “I want something positive to come out of the tragic loss of my brother and hope that my message will encourage young drivers to not take risks and always drive safely and responsibly, so others don’t have to experience the trauma of losing a loved one.”
Road crashes are the biggest killer of young people. In 2009, 11 young people were killed and 125 more were seriously injured every week in Great Britain.
Very often crashes that kill young people and other road users are due to speed, overtaking dangerously, drink and drugs, and not wearing seat belts.
The recording of Tamsin’s story is being used by the council’s safe and sustainable travel team when delivering 2young2die presentations across the borough to coincide with Road Safety Week, November 21-27.
The first of the presentations will be delivered at Bishop Heber High School, Malpas followed by others at Abbey Gate College and Christleton High School.
Councillor Lynn Riley, executive member for community and environment, said: “Tamsin is passionate about preventing any further loss of young people on our roads. Her bravery during the recording of her family’s story was outstanding.
“The message she gives is powerful and sends a clear message that passengers should not put their lives at risk on any journey.
“Tamsin agreed to do the recording because she wants something positive to come out of the tragic loss of her brother and hopes that through her message she can compel young drivers and passengers not to take risks on the road and thereby avoid the heartbreak her family is experiencing.”
Young drivers are involved in a huge proportion of road casualties, due to a combination of inexperience and a tendency of many young people to take risks. One in eight licence holders in Britain is under 25, yet one in four fatal and serious injury crashes involves a driver in this age group.
Katie Shephard, director at the charity Brake, said: “Every day, more families face the unbearable news that a loved one has been killed suddenly and violently, or suffered horrific injury, in young driver crashes. During Road Safety Week, we are calling for action to tackle this needless suffering.
“We’re delighted that Cheshire West and Chester Council are getting involved by delivering life-saving road safety education, and we commend Tamsin Cook for speaking out about her story, to try to prevent more young lives being lost on roads.”
For information on Road Safety Week (21-27 November) go to www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk.
