The horrific toll of 8000 young people aged under 20 killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads each year is being highlighted this week by the Institute of Advanced Motorists as the UK’s leading road safety charity adds its support to Child Safety Week.

Each year around 850 children aged up to seven are killed or seriously injured on the road. In addition, 2600 children aged eight to 15, and 4500 people aged between 16 and 19 are also seriously injured. 

“For older children, a lack of driver training, inexperience and a blasé attitude to safety inherited from their parents combine to make a particularly lethal combination,” Neil Greig, Director of the IAM Motoring Trust, explained. “Children learn from the behaviour of their parents. If parents make a small change such as always wearing a seat belt, using designated crossing places and encouraging further driver training, then their children are more likely to follow suit.”

The call comes in support of this year’s Child Accident Prevention Trust Child Safety Week, which runs from today to June 29, with the theme “Make a change. Make a difference”. “All parents are concerned when their children begin using the road, be it to walk, cycle or drive,” Mr Greig continued. ”The best thing a parent can do to improve the safety of their children when using the road is practice what they preach — if you want your children to be safe, be safe yourself.”