Fewer people were killed or seriously injured on Kent’s roads last year.

This year, the Casualty Reduction Partnership (CaRe) has driven casualties down by 47 per cent on the target set by the Government.

That is a full seven percentage points below target.

By December 31 2010, CaRe are expected to have reduced those killed and seriously injured by 40 per cent, based on the 1994-1998 baseline.

Kent Police, Kent County Council, Medway Council, Kent Fire & Rescue Service and the Highways Agency make up the CaRe Partnership.

Chief Inspector Roscoe Walford of Kent Police’s road policing unit said: “The achievements we have made in reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured is a credit to the partnership.

“Together we work hard to educate people through campaigns such as drink-driving, wearing seat belts, reducing speed and not using mobile phones behind the wheel.

“Kent Police is proud of its role in achieving this success earlier than expected and will continue to work to reduce the number of collisions on our roads.”

KCC, Medway Council and the Highways Agency constantly review the county’s roads, and motorways, and make improvements where necessary.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) recently showed videos of the results of dangerous driving or not wearing seatbelts to individuals who were being stopped by police officers. The hard-hitting footage is used to deter people from making the same mistake again.

KFRS also produces a theatre type production, `Licence to Kill?’ where school students are shown an interactive video based on true events, with narration on stage from the parents of a young driver who died.

Keith Ferrin, KCC Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “Working together in this partnership group means that we are able to achieve more than any one of our organisations could achieve alone.

These results show that the partnership is already working, and we’re looking forward to further reducing road casualties in the county.”