Young driver and two passengers died after he ‘lost control of car and hit tree’

A teenager who had his driving licence for less than six months was killed alongside two friends he had picked up from a house party after losing control of his car on a bridge and crashing into a tree, an inquest has heard.

Dafydd Huw Craven-Jones, 18, Morgan Jones, 17, and Sophie Bates, 17, died and Brooke Varley, also 17 at the time, survived after Dafydd lost control of his Ford Ka on a humpback bridge in Penkridge, Staffordshire, at 11.47pm on May 25 last year.

The driver, who had passed his test at the end of November 2023, had taken a video of himself as he went to pick up his three friends from the house party saying he feared he had been caught speeding at 90mph on a 70mph road.

Dafydd had travelled from his home in Tanyfron in Wales to Penkridge to pick Morgan, from Coedpoeth, up from the house party as he was feeling unwell, and Sophie and Brooke had got in the back to go for a drive.

Neither Sophie, from Stafford, nor Brooke, from Newport in Shropshire, were wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision on the 60mph road, while Morgan was wearing only the shoulder strap and was sitting on the lap belt in the front passenger seat.

Videos taken by Sophie appeared to show her sitting in the middle seat in the back of the car.

An inquest into the deaths of the three teenagers at Stafford Coroner’s Court on Wednesday heard that Dafydd, who was not familiar with the area, had lost control as he drove his car “at speed” over a humpback bridge on the B5012 Cannock Road heading towards Penkridge, mounted a grass verge and careered onto the other side of the road, hitting a tree.

Dafydd, who suffered multiple injuries, and Morgan, who suffered a severe head injury, were pronounced dead at the scene just after midnight on May 26, while Sophie died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on May 28 after suffering a traumatic brain injury.

Although severely injured, Brooke survived the crash and the inquest heard she “regrets” that she did not put her seatbelt on when she got in Dafydd’s car because it was dark and she could not find it.

In a statement read out at the coroners court, Brooke described a “rollercoaster feeling in my tummy” before the car swerved and she blacked out.

She had also felt “scared” that Dafydd was driving too fast and had asked him to slow down.

A tracking app on her phone recorded the maximum speed on the 15-minute journey before the crash as being 85mph, although the court heard this could not be verified as accurate.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Dafydd’s mother Paula Craven-Jones said she had been in the car with her son on a number of occasions since he passed his test and had no concerns about his driving ability.

His car had been correctly insured and had a full MOT, and there were no defects with the vehicle that contributed to the crash, Sergeant Richard Moors from Staffordshire Police said.

Dafydd had no drink or drugs in his system and there is no evidence he was using his phone at the time of the collision, he added.

The inquest heard there had been three serious crashes on the same road since 2017, with another fatal crash occurring in January 2024.

Hazard reports had been submitted to Staffordshire County Highways, who said there were no issues with speed or the road conditions, but that it would make changes to enhance the road markings and the signage.

Assistant coroner Kelly Dixon said she was concerned that no action had yet been taken and would issue a prevention of future deaths report to Staffordshire County Highways urging them to make improvements.

Recording their deaths as being the result of a road traffic collision, Ms Dixon said: “Dafydd suffered a loss of control, mounting the nearside verge before travelling to the opposite side of the road, colliding with an established tree. The driver’s side seat had been struck from behind by a rear seat passenger who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt.

“At least one rear passenger was thrown forward into the driver’s seat. That impact is likely to have contributed to the extent of Dafydd’s injuries.

“The concern here is that I am aware that hazard reports have been submitted to Staffordshire County Highways in regards to this collision and another earlier fatal collision in January 2024.

“Consideration is being given to enhance signage and the road markings but no action has yet been taken.

“I will be issuing a prevention of future deaths report to Staffordshire County Highways in respect of my concerns.”

In a statement issued through Staffordshire Police after the death of her friends, Brooke said she was “so upset to have lost such amazing people from my life”.

She said: “Sophie was the kindest person who lived her life to the fullest. She is my inspiration to get better and do everything she didn’t get a chance to do. She will forever be in my heart.

“Morgan was one of the funniest people I know. He was always respectful, kind and sweet. He always looked out for me.

“Daf had a kind soul and loved his friends.”