Isabelle Hains and Ana Acevedo are demanding the N.B. government call a coroner's inquest into the tragic Bathurst van crash of Jan. 12. Both Hains and Acevedo lost their 17-year-old sons in the crash. (CBC/Angela Chang)

Surrounded by photos of their sons, two Bathurst mothers brought their crusade for a coroner's inquest into the tragic van crash that killed seven students and a teacher last January to Fredericton.

"I pray to God that the acting chief coroner Greg Forestall will immediately call a coroner's inquest and all of this is said and done we will get some answers," Isabelle Hains told a news conference.

Haines and Ana Acevedo each lost a 17-year-old son in the Jan. 12 van crash that shocked the northern New Brunswick community. The Bathurst High School boys basketball team was minutes away from home when their van collided with a transport truck in icy winter conditions.

After consulting with Crown prosecutors, the RCMP announced in November that no charges will be pressed in connection with the horrific accident.

Now the mothers are taking their pleas directly to politicians through these statements, letters and an online petition.

"The fact is what I really want I cannot have. I want my son," Hains said. "But I cannot have him back so I'm asking for a coroner's inquest in honour of his memory."

The province's acting chief coroner had been waiting for all of the final reports from the police, local coroners and the federal government before making his own decision on calling an inquest. Forestall said on Thursday that he will make a decision in the next few days.

That simple decision could start the healing process for Acevedo.

"I don't believe in Christmas anymore. It's not the same, it will never be the same," Acevedo said. "I'm a grieving mother, you can call me a grieving mother. But you can make it better for me: call for a coronor's inquest."

Hains and Acevedo have launched a website dedicated to their mission to see a coroner's inquest called into the crash. On the site, people are encouraged to sign a petition, contact Forestall or Public Safety Minister John Foran or watch a video they made about their sons.

In addition to the inquest, the mothers are demanding a "Van Angels" law that will force any driver who is transporting students to out-of-town events to possess a Class 2 driver's licence. A Class 2 licence allows a driver to operate a bus carrying more than 24 passengers and some other large vehicles.

Hains also told the news conference, they want a weather law that prevents students from travelling during bad weather while they are out of town on a school-related event. The road conditions on the fateful January night were treacherous after freezing rain and snow.

The seven Bathurst High School basketball players and a local teacher were killed when their 15-seat 1997 Ford Econoline F350 Club Wagon struck a tractor-trailer on Highway 8 in winter conditions while returning to Bathurst after a night game in Moncton. Eight of the 12 people in the van died.

After a lengthy investigation into the crash, a Crown prosecutor determined in November that "there were no grounds to lay criminal charges against anyone in relation to this crash."

A report released by RCMP earlier this year found the van involved in the collision was in poor condition.

Another report by Transport Canada found the driver had been awake for 16 hours and was driving in poor weather conditions.

Those reports have resulted in some changes to transportation policies for extra-curricular school activities, including the banning of 15-passenger vans and the mandatory use of snow tires in the winter.

"New rules for the type of vehicles and the type of tires are not good enough," Hains said. "We need strict rules for the kind of weather allowable to transfer students."