Woman who lost two sons to drink driver wants harsher laws and year-round campaigns

A grieving mum is calling for tougher laws for drink and drug drivers after she lost her two sons in a crash.

Amanda Peak has told ITV News Wales that there should be a "zero tolerance approach" to drink driving.

Her two young sons, ten-year-old Arron and eight-year-old Ben died in 2008.

The boys had been on a fun day out at Silverstone race track before the crash. Credit: Family photo

Footballer Luke McCormick was jailed for seven years for killing the brothers after his Range Rover hit the family car on the M6 in Staffordshire.

Mrs Peak's husband, Philip, suffered serious spinal injuries. He had taken his sons for a day out at Silverstone race track.

They lived in the north west of England at the time of the crash but later moved to Wales.

Luke McCormick is now out of jail and has resumed his football career. Credit: PA Images

Mrs Peak now volunteers with the charity Brake and she is calling for harsher sentences for those who commit the crime.

She said there should be drink driving campaigns all year round.

The message from police is that if you are driving, "don’t drink any alcohol at all".

Despite this, Mrs Peak said there has been a rise in cases of drivers getting behind the wheel whilst under the influence.

Amanda Peak's husband suffered serious spinal injuries because of the crash. Credit: PA Images

According to police, the legal alcohol limit in Wales, England and Northern Ireland for driving is:

  • 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood or 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath

In Scotland the limit is:

  • 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood or 22 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath

Mrs Peak said people should not be allowed to drive if they have had alcohol and people would "think twice" if they saw what happened to her sons.

Mr and Mrs Peak laid flowers at a tree dedication service for motorway victims at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alweras. Credit: PA Images

She said: "The message should be harsher. Let me put it this way, they certainly would not want to be made to go and see what I had to see.

"The laws are not strict enough. For a death, for drink driving, in a car, it should be 14 years regardless. They have never passed it. No body ever does 14 years, full stop. It's never been done.

"The sentencing for all these drink drivers should all match the crime.

"If you've been caught drink driving and you've had your licence taken off you and you've had a fine and you get caught again, that first thing didn't happen, they didn't listen, it hasn't sunk into their silly brains."

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