Case study: The tragic death roll of the newly qualified

GRANT Dowie joined the all-too-familiar roll of newly-qualified drivers killed just after passing their test when he hit another car a year ago.

The 17-year-old died in the crash near his home in Dollar, weeks after tearing up his L plates.

Fellow students at Elmwood College in Cupar described him as a "fantastic friend".

Others include Jay Cameron, 17, from Banff, who died in a head-on collision with another vehicle on the A98 Banff-Fraserburgh road in August last year, three months after passing his test. His mother, Lynn Bellingham, said of her "fabulous son": "I used to warn him about overtaking. He passed his test and drove because it was a stage in his life and he wanted to do it."

The previous month, 17-year-old James Whitecross, left, died in another head-on crash, on the A199 Haddington to Tranent road in East Lothian, shortly after passing his driving test.