Parents of a teen driver whose crash killed five spread road safety campaign

A couple whose son killed five people, including himself, in a horror crash have set out on a quest to stop other youngsters making ‘terrible choices’ that lead to tragedy.

Peter and Melissa McGuinness know their 18-year-old son, “whose terrible driving choices” killed four teens a decade ago, didn’t set out to cause such devastation, but say that “intentions are irrelevant”.

The couple have forgiven their son Jordan Hayes-McGuinness — who also died in the crash at Coomera in 2012 — but they also know that despite his many attributes as a popular and relatable teenager “he killed four people and that is his legacy”.

They understand and respect that such forgiveness simply isn’t deserved from his victims, nor from anyone else.

“Owning that culpability and profound sympathy for the victims and all victims of road trauma” has driven the couple to look at why young people are making poor choices on the roads — as drivers and as passengers.

They don’t claim ownership of all road safety knowledge, in fact they say they become more curious each day as they travel the country talking to students.

Peter and Melissa McGuinness with their son Jordan Hayes McGuinness.

“We want to work out what more can possibly be done to stop even one more family from enduring such wrenching, preventable tragedy,” Mr McGuinness told The Saturday Telegraph in the wake of the Buxton tragedy in which five teenagers lost their lives when a ute, allegedly being driven negligently by an 18-year-old, hit a tree on Tuesday night.

“In fact, we become more curious each day as we travel the country engaging teens.”

Melissa McGuinness spreads the message of the YOU CHOOSE Youth Road Safety campaign.

Through their award-winning not-for-profit charity YOU CHOOSE Youth Road Safety, the Queensland couple encourage students to play a leading role in changing driving culture.

“Young people so often feel the need to speak up when they know their friends are doing something wrong or dangerous, but feel awkward and uncomfortable to do so,” Mr McGuinness said.

“The context in these horrible crashes is different, from geography to types of vehicles, to the city, to regional roads, young people from different socio-economic backgrounds, but the common factor is decision making.

“There are virtually no genuinely accidental crashes. A lack of intent to cause harm doesn’t make the outcome of poor choices an accident. Luck usually has little to do with road trauma. Challenging this comforting mythology is an important starting point for young passengers and drivers.”

Mr McGuinness said the bridge between intentions and actions was choice.

“Seeking ways to uplift teenagers to expect and to advocate good choices inside their friendship groups is a crucial element to road safety education,” he said.

“Traditionally, we go to great lengths to prescriptively teach senior students about the dangers of driving and what harm can happen when they get into a vehicle. Though it’s a rare teenager who will genuinely imagine themselves as a victim.

“But almost every teenager loves someone, wants to protect someone, and those ­instincts to protect are immensely powerful and socially influential in the age group.

“Tapping into those instincts as a youth-led social project is an important contributor to safer roads and saved lives.”

When they started their not-for-profit charity six years ago the couple thought they had something to teach from lived experience.

“But we figured out quick-smart that the true potential in the program is to learn from young people and involve them in solutions,” Mr McGuinness said.

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