Video shows teen driver crashing car weeks after passing test, injuring six friends
Video released by Hertfordshire Police shows the car speeding across the road and crashing into a house
A 19-year-old driver left his friends with life-changing injuries when he lost control of his car and smashed into a house.
Jack Clark had only passed his driving test 24 days before the crash, which happened on a Saturday night in Hitchin in Hertfordshire
He was carrying six passengers in his Ford Fiesta, despite it being designed for just four, and had had the car for just two weeks, said police.
He was driving "erratically", swerving in and out of lanes at speed, the court heard.
Police said his friends were scared and "repeatedly pleaded with him to slow down".
Clark lost control and mounted a kerb, causing the vehicle to spin and crash with a house.
Everyone in the car, including Clark, suffered serious injuries.
One of his friends suffered organ damage, bleeds to the brain, and a collapsed lung, resulting in him needing to be put in an induced coma. He is still recovering to this day.
The collision happened on a late Saturday night in December 2021, in Park Street, Hitchin.
The ambulance had declared it a major incident due to the amount of resources needed at the scene.
Clark, of Blackdown Close in Stevenage, pleaded guilty to four counts of dangerous driving and was jailed for two years and three months.
He will be disqualified from driving for four years.
He must spend at least half of the term in custody before being considered for release on licence.
Sgt Tom Pearson, who led the investigation, said: “Jack had only passed his driving test 24 days prior to the collision, and had only had the car for 17 days.
"His driving was reckless, dangerous and has evidently had serious consequences for allinvolved.
“Speeding and driving dangerously is not impressive – especially when you riskserious and devastating consequences as evidenced in this case.
"Just prior to the collision, his passengers repeatedly pleaded with him to slow down and were understandably scared of the manner in which he was driving the car.
He added: "I hope Clark is aware, that as result of his reckless use of the road, he was fortunate that his actions did not leave a family grieving for their loved one."
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