THE importance of child safety in cars was graphically illustrated yesterday by a play which recreated a road crash.

The Risky Things Theatre Group was at Norton Community Primary School, near Malton, North Yorkshire, to drive home the safety message with its production "Are we there yet?"

Devised together with North Yorkshire County Council's road safety team, the play follows a typical family as they get ready for school.

The story centres on a car crash in which, because the occupants are not wearing seat belts, they are thrown around the car.

David Lindsay, the county council's road safety officer, said: "Reducing the numbers of children killed and seriously injured in cars is one of our top priorities in North Yorkshire.

"We know from roadside surveys that between 35 and 40 per cent of children who travel to and from school by car are not properly restrained. Yet it is on such familiar, local trips that crashes are likely to occur.

"Although the legal responsibility to ensure that children are wearing seat belts or using child restraints rests with the driver, children have rights as passengers and we hope this play will encourage them to understand why they should always be belted in."

The production will tour the Ryedale and Whitby areas.