Mother pushes for 'Ryan's Law' after teen son killed when father drove while high

A mother from Cumbria is campaigning for tougher laws on drug-impaired drivers after her 14-year-old son was killed when his father lost control of a van while under the influence of cocaine and experiencing a seizure.

Ryan-Liam Morgan died after trying to grab the steering wheel in a last-minute effort to stop the vehicle. The court heard that his father, 32-year-old Daniel Burba, was high on cocaine at the time and had ignored medical advice not to drive because of his epilepsy. Burba was jailed for 10 years earlier this month.

Ryan-Liam's mother, Kim, 38, said she remains bereft and wants to introduce what she has called "Ryan's Law" to strengthen penalties and restrictions for drivers convicted of causing death while impaired. She said she was alarmed to learn Burba could be eligible for release in about six and a half years and might be permitted to drive again after his sentence, and that nothing will bring her son back but she hopes to prevent similar tragedies.

Court testimony detailed the moments before the crash, when the teenager attempted to seize control of the vehicle in a bid to avert the collision. Emergency services and police attended the scene; Ryan-Liam was pronounced dead following the incident.

Prosecutors and the sentencing judge considered Burba's use of cocaine and his known history of epilepsy when assessing the circumstances of the crash. The court heard that Burba had been warned not to drive because of his condition but chose to do so, and that his use of drugs contributed to a seizure while driving.

Kim described her son as a "lovely boy" with aspirations of becoming a police officer. She recounted that the boy's parents had met 16 years ago and later separated. She said Burba had initially appeared pleasant but had been known to have a temper. The mother said she hopes legislative change can reduce the chance of other families suffering similar losses.

Campaigners for tougher drug-driving measures say high-profile cases underscore concerns about public safety when drivers combine controlled substances with pre-existing medical conditions. Sentencing and release provisions for those convicted of causing death while impaired can vary, and families affected by fatal collisions have in recent years sought reforms to increase custodial terms, extend driving disqualifications and tighten post-release supervision.

Kim intends to press authorities and lawmakers for clearer protections that, she argues, would prevent people judged unfit to drive from being able to take to the road. She has framed the proposed "Ryan's Law" as a tribute to her son and a means to spare other families similar grief.

The case has prompted renewed attention to the intersection of substance misuse, medical conditions such as epilepsy and road safety, and to how the criminal justice system balances punishment, rehabilitation and public protection when sentencing those responsible for fatal collisions.