Parents of man killed by drink driver plea for safe Easter long weekend on roads

The mother of a 23-year-old killed by his drink-driving friend has issued an impassioned warning ahead of the Easter long weekend.

The family of a Victorian man is his 20s killed by a drink driver have thrown their voices behind a road safety campaign.

Speaking alongside high-ranking Victorian police on Wednesday, Jane and Douglas Phipps say their son’s death was totally avoidable.

Adrian Phipps, 23, died at the scene of crash between Cobden and Terang about 50 northeast of Warrnambool, on July 31, 2022.

Courtney Mitcham, who was 19 at the time and had been drinking with Mr Phipps, pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death and negligently causing serious injury.

Mitcham’s blood alcohol level was 0.139 per cent, despite being the ‘designated’ driver for a friend group that night. She was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison.

Police across the country are warning motorists to abide the law, particularly this long weekend. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Dallinger

“I feel that she didn’t think about it, didn’t have the respect for the law all because she drove drunk. And that’s what ultimately cost my son his life and wrecked numerous lives as well,” Ms Phipps said on Wednesday.

At sentencing in March 2023, the County Court at Warrnambool was told Mitcham failed to navigate a bend on Cobden-Terang Road and the car veered on to a grassed area, hit some trees, and flipped, the Warrnambool News reported.

Mr Phipps died at the scene, and the back seat passenger was in a wheelchair for two months.

Ms Phipps said she and her son had an understanding that the parents would pick up their son had he been drinking, from anywhere, any time. Often the 23-year-old would ask his parents to drop two or three friends home as well.

Adrian Phipps’ parents told the court their son was a caring, loveable larrikin who always put others before himself.

“And (I was) happy to do that because I’d far rather know that they get home safely than take the risks,” Ms Phipps said.

“So for him to draw to die under the circumstances to me is even more traumatic, because we were anti-drink driving, he was anti-drink driving and he thought he had a designated driver.”

“No parent should have to bury a child. Least of all from something avoidable.”

The Phipps are putting their voice behind a Victoria Police road safety message for the upcoming Easter long weekend.

Road policing command Assistant Commissioner Glenn Weir said recent roadside testing returned “mind-boggling” drug and alcohol impairment results.

Adrian Phipps (pictured with family) was killed by a drink driving friend near Warrnambool in 2022.

A recent targeted testing operation on the Monash Freeway found about one-in-80 drivers were impaired by alcohol or illicit drugs. Normal roadside testing returned about one-in-400 results, the Assistant Commissioner said.

“It’s mind-boggling that people would take the risk in this day-and-age to think that they can drive over the prescribed concentration of alcohol or after having used illicit drugs and think they can get away with it,” he said.

“Operation Nexus will be starting at midnight on Thursday night and we’ll go right through to the end of Easter Monday,” he said of this weekend’s crackdown.

Ms Phipps does not want another family to go through what hers has this long weekend.

“There’s so many cars out there. There’s so many people travelling. It’s not worth the risk,” she said.

“Now people say yes, it could be okay. Won’t happen to me. We’re testament. It can happen to you and it has happened to us.”

2023 road deaths:

ACT: 4

NSW: 351

NT: 31

Qld: 277

SA: 117

Tas: 34

Vic: 294

WA: 158

Originally published as Parents of man killed by drink driver plea for safe Easter long weekend on roads