THE number of children killed and seriously injured on the roads of Hambleton has fallen by 89 per cent in the past year.

In total, four under-16s have been killed or seriously injured this year, compared to 37 last year.

The drop has been attributed to a series of educational campaigns run in primary and secondary schools throughout the district.

Members of Hambleton community safety partnership's road safety group have taken part in school assemblies and run a comprehensive cycling awareness programme.

Other initiatives include pedestrian training and creating junior road safety officers at schools.

The road safety group has set a target of increasing the percentage of children restrained by seat belts to 95 per cent in front seats and 90 per cent in rear seats by the year 2010.

New laws came into force in September making it compulsory for all children up to 135cm in height to use a child car seat or booster seat in cars, vans and other goods vehicles where seat belts are fitted.

Kevin Pratt, North Yorkshire County Council's road safety officer for the Hambleton area, said the new laws will make a big difference to the number of children seriously hurt in accidents.

"The safety of our children should be of the utmost importance to us all," he said.

"Making sure that they keep using child seats until they reach 135cm in height will mean they are properly secured for their own safety.

"Seat belts are designed for adults. Children are proportioned differently and their key organs are in different places.

"If the car they are travelling in is involved in an accident and the seat belt is not in the right position, then the damage to a child's internal organs can be horrific."

Mr Pratt, a member of the community safety partnership, said: "The partnership is trying to ensure that our children receive some form of road safety education throughout the pupil's life.

"Through our work, we are seeing road injuries and deaths fall dramatically - wearing the right seat belt is a big part in this reduction."