A GRIEVING mother who lost her son in an horrific crash is urging people not to drive under the influence this Christmas, warning drivers: “It’s not worth it.”

Anita Thompson is backing Road Safety GB North East’s (RSGB NE) drink and drug driving campaign, in the hope it saves lives.

Her 27-year-old son, Nick Davidson, and his friend Grant Benson, aged 21, were killed when the car they were travelling in crashed into a tree, ricocheted into another tree and burst into flames.

Anita, from Middleton-in-Teesdale, has since helped RoadPeace North-East launch their official road safety website.

“If I can help prevent even just one family from going through this devastation, that’s positive. I cannot and will not allow Nick’s death to become just another statistic,” she said.

The friends had been for a night out in Barnard Castle. After returning to Grant’s house, for reasons unknown, they decided to go out for a drive in his high-powered Audi A4 Quattro.

In the early hours, Grant lost control of the car on a rural road near Barnard Castle, crashing into two trees, killing Nick instantly and badly injuring himself.

Trapped in the wreckage, Grant was able to dial 999, but the emergency services were unable to reach him in time and he died after the car burst into flames.

Using DNA samples, police found the driver had been one-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit at the time of the accident.

More than two years on, both families remain devastated, and Nick’s mother now works hard to alert people to the dangers of drink driving, and to educate them on how it can tear lives apart.

Anita said: “If we expect people to make an informed decision, they need to know all the facts, and they need to know what all the potential consequences of a bad choice are. I want them to understand that young drivers are a particularly high-risk group.

“My message to motorists is don’t drive after drink or drugs. It’s really not worth the risk; think of your family.”

She added: “Christmas is not going to be the same again. This Christmas morning, I will be visiting the churchyard, and no parent should have to do that.

Paul Watson, Chairman of RSGB NE, said: “People need to be aware of the dangers of drink and drug driving and how it can tear the lives of families apart. It’s easy to go out with the intention of having one drink, but unfortunately during the Christmas period some people get carried away and that’s when accidents happen.”

Mr Watson reminded drivers that they can still be over the limit the next morning. It takes an average of one hour for a unit of alcohol to pass through the body, meaning a pint of beer will take almost two-and-a-half hours to wear off, as will a large glass of wine.

He added: “The message is simple, plan your night out and either drive and stay sober or leave the car at home.”

In the five years between 2011 and 2015, 46 people were killed on the region’s roads due to a suspected drink/drug driver, 297 were seriously injured, and a further 1,567 were slightly injured. In 2015 alone, 80 people were killed or seriously injured – the highest number for six years.

Police Inspector Mark Pitt, of Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “Everyone has a responsibility to look out for a driver getting into a vehicle who they believe could be impaired by either drink or drugs and therefore will be a danger on the road by contacting police and helping us to keep our roads safe over this festive period.”

For more information about Road Safety GB North East and the campaign go to http://www.roadsafetygb.org.uk/regions/r3.html

Follow Road Safety GB North East on social media:

Facebook - www.facebook.com/RSGBNE

Twitter – @RSGB_NE

YouTube – search for ‘Road Safety GB North East’

#Lookoutforeachother