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Driving with Grace

A road safety documentary in memory of a teenage girl killed by a careless driver in Essex has been launched .

Driving with Grace, created in memory of 14-year-old Eleanor Grace McGrath, aims to spread the message that driving is not just a freedom but a responsibility.

Created by two of Eleanor’s closest friends, Emily and Lauren Smoothy, and The Safer Roads Foundation, the documentary tells of the devastating consequences irresponsible driving can have on so many lives.

On March 6 2009, Eleanor was one of a group of teenagers innocently standing on the pavement in a residential street in Thorpe Bay, Southend-on-Sea when she was killed by the actions of a young, thoughtless driver.

Eleanor’s friend Jack Horton, 16, sustained brain damage and several other students were seriously injured when the car struck the group.

The driver is now serving a six year prison sentence for causing death by dangerous driving, but sisters Emily and Lauren were determined to raise awareness of how irresponsible driving can affect so many lives.

They teamed up with Essex Police Sgt Dave Jones, investigating officer in the case, and the foundation to push home the message ‘think before you act’ to teenagers who have just passed their driving test or are thinking about learning to drive.

The documentary, which includes interviews with Eleanor’s friends and family, will be made available to every secondary school headteacher and road safety officer in the country.

 To learn more about the campaign, visit the Driving with Grace website.

To view the video, visit The Safer Roads Foundation website.  

Twin sisters Lauren and Emily Smoothy have recently won the Essex Police Young People of the Year award for their road safety campaign Driving with Grace.

To read more on this award visit the Essex Police website.