Families are being urged by the ambulance service to avoid taking road safety for granted ahead of the new school term.

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust has warned children going back to school this week to remember how busy nearby roads can get and what to do to prevent an accident.

In Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, 439 RTCs involving children aged five to 16 were reported to the service during the last school year.

Locality director Dave Fountain said more can be done to reduce the number.

He said: "Our ambulance crews attend thousands of traffic collisions involving pedestrians a year, and many involve children. 

"Thankfully serious accidents are on the decrease nationally thanks to better education about safety, and of course safer vehicles and roads. But we still attend too many so it's important children remember the basics as they get back into, or start a new, routine this week."

Ambulance advice for families includes asking your child what they know about being safe as a pedestrian or cyclist, which helps you pick up gaps in their knowledge you can address.

Finally the trust asked parents to ensure children know to cross the road at a place at a safe place.
For more advice on road safety for all, visit http://think.direct.gov.uk/.