A NEW 'belt up, light up and slow down' campaign has been launched to to cut down on the number of road traffic accidents in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

Throughout the rest of this month officers from the Pennine Division will be out in force carrying out advice and enforcement exercises aimed at cutting casualties on the roads.

They will be paying particular attention to driving standards and the condition of vehicles. They are warning motorists to check their tyres, seat belts, lights and speed.

Road policing unit inspector David Shepherd, said: "Every year, hundreds of people are injured on local roads and, sadly, many of the accidents could have been prevented.

"I would urge all local motorists to check the condition of their vehicle, paying particular attention to condition of the tyres and lights.

"And I would urge them to wear a seat belt and stick to the speed limit. If they don't, the chances are they will be stopped by our officers and face tough penalties."

The campaign is one of a number of initiatives being carried out by local road policing officers.

Others include giving talks to youngsters about road safety and providing visibility aids to children to ensure they can be seen by motorists as they walk to school.