Bathurst crash moms on way to Michigan

Three mothers who lost their sons in a highway accident near Bathurst two years ago want to find out which tire combination is safest on vehicles used to transport students in New Brunswick.

Isabelle Hains, Marcella Kelly and Ana Acevedo were travelling to Michigan on Monday to have tests completed to see which combination of tires works best on the multi-function activity buses schools now use.

Transport Canada recommends four winter tires, but New Brunswick's Transportation Department recommends winter tires on the back and ribbed all-season tires on the front.

Isabelle Hains said she hopes the testing this week will resolve the dispute.

"I can't understand why our government is putting us mothers through this when we've been through enough. If they would have just did the test when we first brought up the issue on the tires, all this would over now," Hains said.

"But, no. Look how much we have to do and how far we have to go to find the results."

Continental Tires in Michigan is doing the testing for free.

The Bathurst Airport provided airfare for the mothers and Loblaws is paying to transport the vehicle that will be tested to Michigan.

Daniel Hains, 17, Javier Acevedo, 17, and Nikki Kelly, 15, were among seven members of the Bathurst High School basketball team killedin the crash that happened around midnight on Jan. 12, 2008. The coach's wife was also killed in the crash.

They were on their way home from a high school basketball tournament held in Moncton. It was snowing, and the15-seat, 1997 Ford Econoline F350 Club Wagon van did not have winter tires.