Would you stop your child going on this trip?

I reckon it’s hard to comment honestly without knowing where you live and what the weather is like. If he’s being driven by a mum who’s well off - presumably they have a pretty good safe car. He will be with older people all weekend.
i am in south east and would have no qualms but I’m sure would feel differently in other parts of the country.
I also think that it’s always a bit nerve racking letting them go at this age - whether it’s traveling festivals late house parties - it’s a stressful age x

I wondered that too and I think the OP is suggesting the jobless buggers can go this weekend, next weekend or the other; as they have so much free time.

I think that’s an awful big leap based on one post from someone who you have zero background knowledge on to advise them to seek professional help for anxiety. Your whole reply is incredibly melodramatic!

Main roads and motorways will be absolutely fine.

And of course they shouldn't push a child's 16th birthday to another date, just because it's... a bit cold? Of course YABU.

They are nearly always caused by bad driving.

It seems pretty clear that the risks are higher in icy/other forms of poor weather.

However, we don't know where the OP lives, or whether the other mum is a confident and safe driver. If the roads are not icy and the mother is a confident and safe driver, then the risks are no greater than they would be any other time.

There are fatal crashes on dual carriage ways throughout the year. Do you never let your children travel by car?

Where do you live that it's still dangerous? There's snow on the ground here still and it's colder than a witch's tit but the roads are all clear and perfectly safe to drive on. I literally drive for a living, I can't think of anywhere in the UK right now where the main roads and motorways are any more dangerous than usual.

With respect he's 16, time to unlatch him I think, he needs to spread his wings a bit and a long weekend 120 miles away is hardly a jaunt in North Korea. He'll be fine.

Depends where you are. Could you maybe screenshot the weather forecast and show us that?
120 miles is nothing. Most people wouldn't bother to stop half way for that.

Yes, when there was snow on the motorway. Which is not the case now because they've all been cleared. No more snow is forecast in the short term and from Sunday it's going to warm up significantly.

And you know that there are no small, winding, ungritted roads to negotiate before getting to the motorway and A roads, do you?
There was a fatal crash near here on a dual carriageway last night so you got that wrong too.

Do you plan to allow your ds to learn to drive once he’s 17 ? If so, he could be the one driving this tune next year and that’s a scarier thought if the roads are rough where you are.

Does he plan to go to uni in 2 years ? He will be taking much bigger risks than being in a car in an icy day.

If there are weather warnings in place and it is suggested by the met office/your equivalent to avoid non essential travel then YANBU. To all the posters saying motorways are fine I'm assuming you mean in good weather? Lots of snow related incidents happened locally on the motorway this year so far.

That's a totally bizarre and extreme reply

No she's not, she's worried about him being driven on motorways and A roads both of which will be well gritted, well used and no more dangerous than usual.

"Trust your gut" You don't think that your brain should be involved?

As for the "never forgiving yourself" well that cuts lots of ways. If (God forbid) your child drops dead one day, will you forgive yourself for all the opportunities they missed because of your gut?

Are you serious? She's worried about her son being driven on dangerous roads. If you have children, you are bound to worry when things like this happen. You don't need help for anxiety for caring about your kids!
You're either stupid or taking the piss. I suspect both.

Everything we do in life carries an element of risk. Most accidents occur at home or close by (because that's where people spend a lot of their time, I guess). You're afraid because what happens while he is away is out of your control for a longer than usual time. It's not abnormal - I always used to worry there would be a plane crash when my DH flew for work trips, and had to talk myself out if it. Going on this trip with his friend, regardless of the weather, is not in itself a particularly risky thing to do. Not letting him go is irrational and only based on your anxious feelings - let him go.

You can care about your children without being suffocating. And if by some miniscule chance something did happen it wouldn't be the op's fault and she wouldn't have anything to forgive herself for

If you're in the UK, main roads are fine and it's also getting warmer over the next couple of days.
This is your problem, OP, and nobody else's.
The other mother wouldn't want to put her own son at risk so, as she's happy to drive, then I'd say it will be absolutely fine. Hope they have a fab time!

Ridiculous . Don’t saddle your child with your anxiety , it is very unfair .

This is a you problem.

it’s an unnecessary and pointless journey in such shit weather that I think it’s irresponsible of the mother to not change it to next week or the week after. The son gets his own way all the time.

Um yeah, that isn't anxiety. That's just being unpleasant.

The weather is set to continue to be cold and icy - but motorways will be gritted, salted and too well used to have ice unless things get much worse. Roads into cities: the same.

How far is the first part of the journey tonight? And are you in one of the areas set to be colder than the rest of the UK, or does the journey include one of the mountain pass roads?

Bit harsh! OP's anxiety may be a little over-the-top, but she isn't "awful".