£1.3m to drive home road safety

Drivers are being warned about speeding, drink, drugs and phones

Experiences of Kent people who have been deeply affected by crashes are to be used in a £1.3m road safety scheme.

The council wants to meet government safety targets three years early and is making its largest investment so far in a "hard-hitting" road safety campaign.

Data has shown the number of crashes where people are killed or seriously injured in the county is decreasing.

The council said reducing casualties further would save £215m for Kent hospitals and emergency services.

The campaign has been developed by Kent County Council and Kent hospital trusts and aims to discourage drivers from speeding, drink and drug driving, and using mobile phones while behind the wheel.

We feel it is our duty to highlight road safety to our residents and encourage them to be more responsible while driving Cllr Graham Gibbens

It aims to stop 478 people being killed or seriously injured in the county in the year 2007.

Cllr Graham Gibbens, transport spokesman, said it was "to drive home the fact that crashes affect you, your family and friends".

He said the campaign, which is being launched on Wednesday, would use the experiences of Kent residents whose lives had been "deeply affected".

And he said the "Help save 478 lives" campaign had the strap line "it will cost you in the end" referring to points on licences, court fines and even injury or death.

Mr Gibbens said: "We feel it is our duty to highlight road safety to our residents and encourage them to be more responsible while driving."

The council said the government's targets were set for 2010, but the council wanted to achieve them by the end of 2007.