Nearly 40 per cent of crashes in Shropshire over the last three years involved drivers under the age of 24, new figures have revealed.

Twelve young drivers have been killed on the county’s roads and a further 68 seriously injured since 2006.

A campaign has now been launched by West Mercia Police’s Safer Roads Partnership highlighting distractions behind the wheel including speeding, texting or using a mobile phone, and changing tracks on a stereo.

Partnership spokeswoman Katy Jenkins said the aim of the campaign was to raise awareness among young drivers of the potential consequences of being distracted while behind the wheel of a car.

Superintendent Matt Mead, of West Mercia Police, said: “West Mercia police patrols will be supporting this campaign by taking a hard line against those drivers who flout the law.

“Being distracted by loud music, a phone conversation or text message means you will react more slowly to what is happening around you and take longer to brake.

“People who become distracted while they are driving are more likely to miss road signs and tailgate, and find it difficult to maintain a steady speed or proper lane position.

“They also tend to drive faster placing vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians, at high risk of injury.”

The aim of the Safer Roads Partnership is to reduce the number of casualties and make roads safer for all users in West Mercia through speed enforcement and changing attitudes and behaviour.

According to figures from the group, 36 per cent of all collisions over the last three years in Shropshire involved young drivers under the age of 24.

Comparing it with a three year time period between 1999 and 2001, the number of crashes in the county involving young drivers has decreased by seven per cent.

But that is set against a 19 per cent reduction overall in the number of collisions on the roads in West Mercia between the two time periods.

In Telford, 39 per cent of crashes over the last three years have involved young drivers – a four per cent increase compared with 1999-2001.

The figures involved two deaths and 19 serious injuries from 2006 to the present date.

By Wayne Beese