A CAMPAIGN is being launched to reduce dramatically the number of children injured in road accidents in the New Forest.

New figures from Hampshire County Council show that 112 youngsters were hurt in crashes in the Forest last year.

The statistic accounts for about 12 per cent of all child injury accidents in the county in 1999.

Twenty of the children hurt in the Forest were crossing roads, 33 were riding bicycles and 59 were travelling in vehicles.

The figures are significantly higher than those recorded in the neighbouring Test Valley, where only nine young pedestrians and 14 child cyclists were injured.

Now New Forest Road Safety Council is devising a strategy to halve the casualty toll in the district over the next ten years.

Aside from the human heartache, the 112 child injury accidents recorded last year are thought to have cost the NHS about £1 million.

Road safety council members said they are particularly concerned about the high percentage of youngsters who were hurt while riding in cars.

They claimed that a significant number of parents were failing to ensure that their children wore seatbelts.

Chairman Pat Wyeth said: "An awful lot of accidents involve people who are just going up the road.

"Drivers with children in the back should make safety their top priority, even on short journeys."

Hythe councillor Stan Wade demanded 20mph speed limits outside schools and tougher penalties for motorists who ignore speed restrictions.

"I'm staggered at the leniency of some of the sentences handed down to motorists," he said.

Mr Wade also said that developers should be encouraged to provide cycle routes when building new housing estates.

Members approved an action plan that aims to cut the number of accidents on Forest roads by making children and drivers more safety conscious.

Ringwood councillor Jeremy Heron said schoolchildren should be given stickers emblazoned with road safety advice.

"A young child arriving home from school with a sticker will tell their parents 100 times why they were given it," said Mr Heron.

Meanwhile the Labour group on Hampshire County Council is urging children and drivers to take extra care after the clocks go back on Sunday.

Councillors say youngsters walking to and from school should wear bright clothing. They also want drivers to cut their speed to 20mph near schools.