Road crash victim Hannah Lodge was 'on the cusp of a truly fantastic life', says grieving dad

A GRIEVING father has spoken of the devastating loss of a daughter "on the cusp of a fantastic life".

Hannah Lodge, 18, was killed in an a road accident and her family wants to launch a safety campaign in her memory.

Hannah was driving towards Langtoft on the B1249 when her grey Suzuki smashed into a telegraph pole.

Her father Mark, 52, said: "Thankfully, not many people have the experience of losing an 18-year-old daughter.

"If there was anything we could to do to save another family from what we've been through, we would do it.

"It won't bring Hannah back, which is what we want more than anything in the world, but we may be able to help others."

Hannah had just finished studying at Driffield School. She left with ten good GCSEs, three A levels, and a bright future.

Mr Lodge said: "Hannah wanted to study law.

"She had applications pending for a number of universities.

"She was privately studying sociology and she had entered to do a course of exams at Longcroft School.

She was determinedly working her way towards her own objectives."

Hannah was having a gap year after her studies.

She had arranged work in Canada as an au pair from February and was in the process of applying for a short-term role with a Scarborough-based charity, helping vulnerable people to better understand their legal rights.

On Friday, November 16, Hannah was driving to the charity's offices to drop off some paperwork before her car left the road and smashed into the telegraph pole.

She was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened just before 10am.

Mr Lodge said: "She had been once before for an interview and they were keen for her to start.

"She was taking her documents for a CRB check."

Hannah's personal preference had been for a classic car but Mr Lodge had been so determined to keep her safe, he had paid for a new one.

He said: "She desperately wanted a classic car but I convinced her to have a car with all the modern safety systems.

"You do your best but it clearly wasn't enough."

Although she had just recently passed her test, Hannah was never an impulsive driver.

Mr Lodge said: "I don't want anybody to think for a moment that Hannah was a young, reckless driver.

"She was a good, competent driver, which makes the whole thing even more mysterious.

"We just don't understand how, why or what happened."

Mr Lodge and his wife spent the day of Hannah's death in York.

They did not find out what happened until the afternoon, when they found a police officer waiting outside their home near Driffield.

Mr Lodge said: "For us, it was devastating.

"There are no words to describe the emotions you feel, it's beyond description.

"We loved Hannah so much. The kind of pain parents and siblings go through in these cases is overwhelming."

Mr Lodge had a triple heart bypass earlier this year.

He said Hannah's response clearly showed the kind of person she was.

He said: "Hannah was so concerned and so caring through the whole process.

"It was a mark of the girl that she really found it difficult to maintain her normal modus operandi while being so worried about her father.

"What should have happened is I should have died on the operating table and she should have survived but there's no rhyme nor reason to these things."

Mr Lodge does not want other families to go through the same pain and plans to launch a campaign to improve road safety across East Yorkshire.

Mr Lodge said: "It would be terrible to see another person go through this.

"Our first and overriding wish is that this had never happened but now it has, we can only hope we never have another on that road.

"Anything that can highlight these issues and anything that can provoke a response would be a good thing."

Hannah worked part-time at Wolds Village café in Bainton.

She was judged mature enough to be put in charge on her own.

Soon after her death, Wolds Village posted a public tribute to Hannah on its Facebook page.

It said: "Everyone here is heart-broken and send all our love to her lovely family."