SAFETY chiefs in County Durham have launched a campaign to reduce the high toll of youngsters injured in car crashes.

Figures show that children in the county are more likely to be hurt as passengers than if they were riding bikes or crossing a road.

Nationally, young pedestrians and cyclists are at greater risk but County Durham bucks the trend, with an average of 273 injured passengers between 1994 and 1998 compared with 178 pedestrians and 58 cyclists.

Although the figures dipped in 1999, county safety officials believe it was a blip and are worried about the long-term trend.

They have launched a month-long publicity campaign, on the back of a national drive by the Government, to urge parents to ensure children wear seat belts.

The campaign will focus on radio advertisements and posters on buses and in bus shelters.

Posing the question 'are you a killer?' it asks parents to 'do the right thing, belt them in.'

Officials are concerned that passenger casualties are rising while the totals for young pedestrians and cyclists are staying 'relatively steady.'

The council's senior road safety officer Alan Kennedy said: "The Government has recently announced it is seeking a 50 per cent reduction in child road casualties by the Year 2010, based on the 1994 to 1998 average.

"We have pledged to meet this target through a sustained programme of education, training and publicity, supported with highway engineering improvements and supportive enforcement by the police.

"This new campaign is part of that effort. Young children are too immature to be responsible for their own safety.

"They don't understand the risk and dangers involved in not wearing a seat belt and nor do they know the horrific forces involved in a collision.

"Parents must set a good example and develop their children's safety education right from the very beginning.

"Only they can protect their children in a car. If their children are killed or injured as a result of being allowed to move freely about in the vehicle, only they are to blame.'