Shropshire’s roads are among the best in the country, with the county today highlighted as being the seventh safest in Britain because of the low number of serious accidents on its streets.

But the figures show that 18 children were still killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads in 2007 – the latest figures available from the Department of Transport – sparking calls for more safety improvements to ensure even fewer accidents.

Today highways bosses in Shropshire vowed they were not complacent despite the county’s low number of serious collisions and would work to reduce the figure further.

The national statistics show that the Isle of Wight has the safest roads with just 10 children seriously injured or killed, while London has the least safe roads with 331 children killed or seriously injured on its roads.

Phil Crossland, assistant director for highways and transportation at Shropshire Council, today said: “We’ve always been very proactive in terms of road safety and have had some significant successes and have already significantly overachieved the national targets within Shropshire.

“However we’re not complacent. Eighteen children killed or seriously injured is still 18 too many.

“We’ve got programmes of engineering measures including speed limits, junction improvements and safer routes to schools.

“We’ve also got programmes of road safety education with children, young adults and adults linked to national campaigns and local campaigns.”

Child safety specialist Clippasafe today warned families to be extra careful when cycling, driving or crossing the roads on foot, particularly with children.

Roger Cheetham, managing director, said: “Parents must educate as early as possible by setting a good example, explaining the Green Cross Code, wearing high-visibility garments and us-ing harnesses and wrist links, so that their children understand the dangers of roads from a very young age.”