District councillors and members of the public have been asked to support a new campaign aimed at dramatically cutting the number of children killed or seriously injured on East Hampshire roads.

In a shocking report to members of EHDCÕs central area community committee on Tuesday night members were told that last year 709 children were killed or seriously injured on HampshireÕs roads.

The county councilÕs road safety manager, Ernie Sage, told the meeting that 329 of those were children travelling in cars.

An incredible 60 per cent of those children were not restrained or wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

ÒIt is amazing that parents are prepared to drive around with their children not restrained or wearing seatbelts,Ó said Mr Sage.

He said the county council was launching a new campaign in a bid to cut the number of injuries. This was in line with a government target of a 50 per cent reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured on the roads by 2010.

ÒIn Hampshire our single biggest problem is children aged from 0 to 16 travelling in cars not Ôbelted upÕ,Ó Mr Sage stressed.

ÒWe must look at this one area of the problem where we can achieve a dramatic reduction in the number of injuries, and if East Hampshire District and the county council can work together we believe it is a problem area where we can achieve a dramatic reduction in the number of injuries, and if East Hampshire district and the county council can work together we believe it is a problem area where we can achieve a 50 per cent reduction.Ó

Mr Sage said it was vital to get the message across to parents that children must wear seatbelts, and this would be followed up with stronger enforcement by the police.

The campaign had already begun in primary and secondary schools throughout East Hampshire, he told the meeting.

ÒFrom a survey recently carried out we have discovered that 18 to 20 per cent of primary school children are being driven to school without seatbelts, but more than 30 per cent of secondary school children are not wearing them,Ó said Mr Sage.

ÒThis is a serious problem and we certainly have to get the message across to parents.Ó

He asked East Hampshire district councillors for their support in publicising the Ôclunk, click every tripÕ campaign in schools.

Mr Sage said the county council also ran a child pedestrian programme which dealt with the practical problems of crossing roads in both urban and rural areas.

ÒCouncillors can also help us by trying to get parents involved in the pedestrian programme,Ó he told the meeting.

There was also a need to recruit helpers for the child cycling programme, which in Hampshire had replaced the former cycling proficiency tests.

Courses were run for seven to nine year olds and those ten years and over, said Mr Sage.