The family and friends of English girl Jade Fox in who died in a car crash in Australia have started a Facebook campaign to persuade the authorities there to change the law.

Jade, 22, from School Lane, Maidstone, was a passenger in a 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser being driven by a 19-year-old German back-packer when the accident happened on the world heritage site of Fraser Island on October 31 last year.

Fraser Island is a 123km spit made up entirely of sand, just off the coast of Queensland. Although it is very beautiful, it can also be treacherous when the wind whips up the sand and blows it over the roads.

Jade’s mother Melanie Fox said: “We discovered that there had been a similar accident in 2010 when three people had died.

“The Australian coroner at the time had made a number of recommendations, including that only experienced drivers aged over 25 be allowed to drive on the island, but his recommendation was never implemented.”

Jade, a former Valley Park School pupil, was in one of three 4x4s following a lead vehicle from a tour company, but the drivers of the following cars were simply fellow holiday-makers with no experience of the conditions. Jade’s driver lost control while trying to overtake and instead overturned the vehicle.

Mrs Fox said: “It seems incredible to us that youngsters are allowed to hire these vehicles, which can carry up to eight people, and drive them on roads known to be dangerous, without any experience.”

Jade had been spending her gap year in Australia with three friends Grace Dilley, Jamie Atkins and Remmi Sexton.

She had been living near Sydney for the previous six months where she had been working for Australian Credit and Finance.

Both Grace and Remmi were in the vehicle with her at the time of the crash, but were not seriously injured. Five other people in the car were also slightly injured.

When Mrs Fox’s husband Chris had traveled to Australia subsequently to collect Jade’s body, the police had taken him to Fraser Island to show him where the accident had occurred.

Mrs Fox said: “As they stood there, another 4x4 loaded with young people sped past, driving erratically.

“The Australian police went after them and pulled them over.”

Under Australian law, the Government must debate an issue if it receives a 100,000-strong petition to do so.

Mrs Fox said: “We are appealing to people via Facebook to sign the petition. It is very important to prevent another family suffering a tragedy like ours.”

You can sign the "Jade's Law" petition directly here.

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