Friends and relatives of Jade Fox, the British girl killed in a 4x4 accident on Fraser Island, are celebrating after the state government in Queensland, Australia, announced it was to change the law on “tag-along” rides.

After the tragedy last October, Jade’s parents and friends begin a social media campaign urging a tightening of the regulations surrounding the tourist convoys popular with backpackers on the island, which is designated a world heritage site.

Jade, of School Lane, Maidstone, was just 22 when the 19-year-old German tourist who was driving the 4x4 in which she was travelling with friends Remmi Sexton and Grace Dilley, and other tourists, lost control and turned the vehicle over.

The island is made up entirely of sand and it can be difficult to steer the vehicles - especially at speed.

Miss Sexton said: “Until now, they allowed anyone over 17 to just turn up and drive, even if they had no experience. It was too young.”

"Young people without experience should not be driving these vehicles..." - Remmi Sexton

A number of firms operate on the island. Commonly anywhere between eight and 11 tourists are assigned to a 4x4, and several vehicles then follow a lead car around, with visitors taking it in turns to drive.

The tourists don’t necessarily know the other passengers beyond their immediate friends, and the mix of nationalities means that some don’t speak English.

Miss Sexton said: “All the drivers must now be over 21 and must pass a driving assessment first.”

She said there were five new pages of regulations that the tour operators must comply with, including reductions in the speed of the vehicles, the fitting of radios to all cars, and the establishment of safe driving distances between vehicles.

She said: ”This is just what we were campaigning for. Young people without experience should not be driving these vehicles.”

Jade’s death was only one in a series of accidents, another British girl was seriously injured in an almost identical accident in February.

A Queensland official contacted the family to tell them of the introduction of the new regulations.

He said that Jade’s Petition, which had been signed by 6,400 people, had played a significant part in their decision.

Miss Sexton said: “Jade was like a little sister to me. We can never forget her, but we’ve done what we needed to do and I think Jade would be proud of what we have achieved.

“Now we can have some peace and move on.”