ROAD traffic accidents account for half of all air ambulance missions, with one in five serious incidents attended by a rescue helicopter, according to the first summary of the network in Britain published today.

In the North West, however, these figures are even higher, with road accidents accounting for 63 per cent of all air ambulance call-outs in the six-month period since March.

Between March and August 2001, the network responded to 6,774 call-outs, including 3,201 to road traffic accidents -- this equates to 18 per cent of all recorded serious road traffic accidents in the country, according to the latest statistics.

John Dawson, Air Ambulance director of public policy said: "Air ambulances work is part of the health service and with other emergency services ensures a rapid response to accidents and to transport the seriously injured to hospital.

"They are, increasingly, the first emergency service to arrive at the scene of some of the country's most serious accidents.

"We know that the speed that air ambulances achieve can often make the difference between life and death, and also increases patients' ability to recover in the long term."

After road traffic accidents, the most common call-out is to medical emergencies such as heart attacks, while work-related accidents accounted for just three per cent of missions -- the majority being on farms.

This compares with eight per cent of call-outs to sporting and leisure accidents, a large proportion involving horse riding.