POLICE are launching a high-profile road-safety campaign to reduce the number of people hurt in accidents - especially on Fridays.

Statistics show that on average every Friday, 13 people are injured in accidents in North Yorkshire. That's more than on any other day.

Starting on Friday, June 24, officers will be carrying out high-visibility casualty reduction patrols on roads with poor accident records. They will offer advice and enforce the law when necessary.

Special attention will be paid to the use of seat belts, drink-driving and unroadworthy vehicles.

Traffic officers will carry out speed checks at locations throughout the county and are ready to use the force's hard-line fast-tracking policy, which can see extreme speeders put before a court within days of being caught.

The campaign will also involve the agencies within the new North Yorkshire 95 Alive road safety partnership. It was launched last year to save, before 2010, the lives of 95 people who would otherwise have died on the county's roads.

Local authorities, the fire and rescue service and health trusts are involved in the programme.

Six dates have been designated casualty-free Fridays. They are June 24, August 19, October 14, December 9 and February 3 and March 31, next year.

Assistant Chief Constable David Collins said: "Our research shows more people are hurt in road accidents on Fridays than on other day.

"The reasons are up for debate, but the consequences are not - they are plain and distressing to see. Every Friday, on average, 13 people are hurt on the county's roads.

"That has to stop, and we are putting a major effort into cutting this unacceptable toll.

"There is no point in setting low targets. It is our duty to put all our energies into aiming for the best possible result, and that is a series of casualty-free days.

"A lot of attention has been focused on our successes in cutting motorcycle accidents, but no one should imagine North Yorkshire Police are ignoring other road users.

"I also want every road user, from the rider of the smallest bicycle to the driver of the largest lorry, to play their part in driving down the accident toll."