Middleton-In-Teesdale family help others who have lost loved ones in car crashes

A TEESDALE mother has used her own tragic experiences to help create a booklet for people trying to come to terms with the aftermath of a fatal crash. 

Anita Thompson, from Middleton-in-Teesdale, said her family’s involvement in the project was her way of “trying to claw something positive” from the loss of her son, Nick Davidson.

Mr Davidson, 28, died after the car he was travelling in as a passenger smashed into a tree near Whorlton in August 2014. The driver and Nick’s close friend, Grant Benson, 21, also died at the scene. Both men had been drinking.

The Road Peace North East guide was launched at Durham Cathedral last week.

The booklet will support victims and families who have lost loved ones due to road collisions across Cleveland, County Durham and Darlington.

It gives a full range of practical information and guidance to families in the wake of a road crash, explaining everything from inquests to post-mortem examinations in plain-speaking English.

Ms Thompson said: “It’s an information guide for bereaved families or anybody who has found themselves dealing with the aftermath of a serious collision. It explains the justice system and what to expect next. At 3am, you wake up in the morning and you haven’t slept and can’t sleep because of everything that goes through your mind.

“You just need an answer on something. Waiting until the working day to get that answer is awful.

“I didn’t know about inquests and it would have been really helpful had I had this guide.” Road Peace North East collaborated with Durham and Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioners, as well as other people who have been through a road tragedy.

Mr Davidson’s family will attend Middleton-in-Teesdale carnival later this summer, when they will set up a stall to promote the guide.

Road Peace North East is made up of a small committee of families who promote road safety. Ms Thompson’s daughter, Kelly Manser, has now joined. The pair were last year involved in Wise Drive, a Durham County Council scheme to educate teenagers in schools about how to stay safe when they pass their driving test.

Ms Thompson said three years after her son’s death, she still has “good and bad days”.

She said: “Even though the rawness fades, the longing doesn’t. Nick is so missed and when we get involved with these projects, we feel we are doing something that he would want us to do. It’s helping claw something back in a positive way because the negative could consume you.”

Ms Thompson praised the dale’s close-knit community for helping her family get through.

“It’s a lovely feeling to live in such a warm place.”

For more information, visit http://roadpeacenortheast.org.uk