Three people killed in head-on collision in Pas-de-Calais. A 15-year-old was behind the wheel

A tragic road accident shook the town of Libercourt in northern France on Wednesday night. The fatal head-on collision between two passenger cars occurred around 2:45 AM on the departmental road boulevard Ferdinand Darchicourt (RD 954). According to service findings and media reports, one of the vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf, contained four 15-year-old teenagers. One of their peers was behind its wheel. The second car was driven by a lone 39-year-old man. As a result of the collision, the 39-year-old and two 15-year-old passengers from the Golf died at the scene. The two remaining teenagers from the same car were seriously injured. They were airlifted by the emergency medical service (SMUR) helicopter to the university hospital (CHR) in Lille. „Le premier des véhicules, celui avec l'homme de 39 ans, a été enfoncé contre un arbre, il est rentré dedans. Et la voiture avec les quatre jeunes a été complètement retournée sur le toit.” (The first vehicle, the one with the 39-year-old man, was smashed against a tree, it went into it. And the car with the four young people was completely flipped onto its roof.) — Daniel Kani, Deputy Mayor of Libercourt Numerous services arrived at the scene immediately. About 25 firefighters from rescue and firefighting units in Libercourt, Oignies, and Carvin undertook a difficult rescue operation. They had to use specialized hydraulic equipment to cut through twisted metal sheets and extract trapped individuals. 25 — firefighters conducted the rescue operation at the accident sceneAccording to Deputy Mayor Daniel Kani, who was on the scene, the sight was shocking, and the force of the impact was enormous. Police preliminarily point to excessive speed as the main cause of the tragedy. The vehicle with the teenagers is believed to have been traveling at a speed exceeding 150 km/h at the moment of impact. The prosecutor's office in Lens has opened an investigation into involuntary manslaughter and bodily injury. It will include, among other things, a precise reconstruction of the event, vehicle inspections, analysis of data from recorders, and checking whether the 15-year-old driver had any driving qualifications. The French driving license system allows starting learning at the age of 15 under the so-called "Apprentissage Anticipé de la Conduite" (AAC), or early driving apprenticeship. Youth at this age can take the theoretical exam, and practical learning begins at age 16, always under the supervision of an adult with at least 5 years of driving experience. However, independent driving by a 15-year-old is absolutely prohibited and constitutes a serious offense. The tragedy has caused deep sorrow and commotion in the local community of Libercourt, which has about 8,000 inhabitants. Municipal authorities and psychological services have offered support to the victims' families and witnesses of the event. This accident reopens the discussion in France about the safety of young drivers, enforcement of speed regulations, and the effectiveness of educational programs. The shocking death of two minors and the fact that a peer was behind the wheel underscores the drama of this nighttime collision on an ordinary departmental road.