Olivia Alkir: Teenager's death used a warning to young drivers

The story of a teenager killed in a car crash caused by two drivers racing will be featured in a road safety film.

Olivia Alkir, 17, was a passenger when she died in a crash caused by two friends racing near Ruthin in 2019.

From Efenechtyd in Denbighshire, Olivia was a deputy head girl at Brynhyfryd School, and had hopes of studying architecture at university.

At the time the judge described the incident as "one of the worst examples of dangerous driving one can imagine".

Thomas Quick and Edward Bell, both school friends of Olivia, were jailed for five years each in March 2020, after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Almost three years on from Olivia's death, her family were present when a new hard-hitting film, aimed at deterring other young drivers from similar behaviour, was launched by North Wales Police.

The loss of their only child inspired Olivia's family, as well as her friends and other members of the community in and around Ruthin, to work closely with the police in producing the film, Olivia's Story.

"Olivia was meant to achieve something in life," Olivia's mum Jo said at the launch of the film at Cineworld in Llandudno Junction.

"Her story is going to save lives and that's what we want. We don't want her to be forgotten either because she was such a beautiful, wonderful human in our lives so we want her to save lives."

Olivia's parents want the law changed so that all newly-qualified drivers have to have a black box, recording details of how they drive, fitted in any vehicle they use for at least a year after they have passed their driving test.

They also want the number of passengers a newly-qualified driver can carry limited in future.

"If you don't have the black box, you will bury your son or daughter," said Olivia's father, Masut Alkir, who, along with his wife, arrived at the scene of the fatal crash while his daughter was still receiving CPR.

The 10 minute film features actual dashcam footage of the cars involved in the crash, alongside a recording of Olivia's mother at the scene as she begs her daughter to live.

"Until you actually physically see that film, and see the bit when I arrive at the scene - I remember it vividly - I saw my daughter dead at the side of the road but I didn't know she was dead," said Jo.

"We don't want anyone else to go through this. And we will continue. We will help."

Chief Inspector Trystan Bevan of North Wales Police said he hopes that showing the impact of Olivia's death will do more to make young drivers think about road safety than warnings from the police.

He also urged parents to take on-board the idea of fitting a black box to cars used by newly-qualified young drivers.

"I think its an important message and something for parents to consider... as they have young people passing their test and starting to use our roads," he said.

He added that a third car used by a another school friend on the day Olivia died was fitted with such a device, and that vehicle was not involved in the fatal collision.

The crash, in June 2019, happened as Thomas Quick and Edward Bell raced each other on the B5105, between Clawddnewydd and Ruthin.

Olivia, who was screaming for Edward Bell to slow down, died at the scene after his car crashed into an on-coming Mercedes at 80mph.

As well claiming Olivia's life, two other teenage girls involved in the crash suffered several broken bones, and one needed surgery after rupturing her bowel in the crash. The driver and passenger in the Mercedes also suffered extensive injuries.