DEATH and injury on roads in a district fell by a total of 11 per cent last year.

Although there was only a small drop in the number of fatalities, from 11 in 2005 to ten last year, serious injuries fell by 19 per cent, from 118 to 95, and slight injuries fell 8.5 per cent, from 378 to 346.

Of the ten deaths last year, one was a motorcyclist and four were under-16s but there were no child fatalities.

A series of educational campaigns in primary and secondary schools is credited for the reduction.

Hambleton Community Safety Partnership officer Simon Gibson said: "We have set challenging targets to bring these figures down still further and it is vital we maintain and improve these figures.

"We have already had one death on our roads this year. I urge all drivers to make a resolution this year to be alert, drive at the correct speed appropriate to the road and weather conditions and not to drink and drive."

The partnership will continue its road safety work throughout the year, including visits to schools, drink driving campaigns, speed checks and other educational and publicity initiatives.

It has also 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 2010.

Nationally, the most recent figures from the Department of Transport show that road accidents in 2004 resulted in 3,221 deaths, 31,130 serious injuries and 246,489 slight injuries.

In the same year, 166 children died on the roads while 3,739 were seriously injured and more than twice as many boys were killed or seriously injured in pedestrian and motorcycle accidents as girls.

Motorcyclists represent one per cent of traffic, but 19 per cent of deaths and serious injuries.

They are 40 times more likely to be killed than car drivers, with 585 dying in 2004.